


Finding Our Place

by Adm_Hawthorne



Series: Creating Our World [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, supercat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-22 20:03:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9623351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adm_Hawthorne/pseuds/Adm_Hawthorne
Summary: After beginning a romantic relationship with each other, Kara and Cat work through what it means for a human and Kryptonian to be together while an unknown entity works to try to rid National City of Supergirl.This is a follow up piece to "Knowing Our Strengths."





	1. Trouble

Kara ducked the incoming fist aimed at her head, rolling away before another punch could come at her. This bad guy, whoever he was, had not only managed to pin her down twice but had almost punch her unconscious once. It was only by the grace of luck and her recently learned fighting skills that she’d managed to stay in the fight as long as she had.

When the explosion earlier in the day had rocked the CatCo building, she’d assumed it was a bomb somewhere in the city. She’d expected to find people hurt and in need of saving. Instead, she found a gigantic hole in one of the main streets of National City and the lone figure of an impressively well-muscled and very hulkingly huge man standing in the bottom of that hole.

Pale skin, jet black hair, and a matching goatee paired with what Kara could only describe as a leather biker look all combined to make his colossal form look all that much more impressively intimidating. He was much too strong to be human, and he was wearing an exoskeleton made of a metal she didn’t recognize that was upping whatever his other worldly strength already was.

When she’d landed at the edge of the hole he’d apparently made when landing from who knows where, the only thing he’d said was, “You’re Supergirl, right?” She’d nodded, and that was the last civil thing that’d happened before he jumped out of the hole and started swinging at her.

Kara had no idea how long they’d been fighting, but she could tell her reflex time was slowing down, and the punches she was taking were starting to hurt more and more. If things kept going the way they were, she was going to blow her powers out again. Given how hard he was trying to hit her, she was certain he would kill her if that happened.

“Why are you doing this,” she screamed at him as she tried to fly out of his grasp only to be yanked down to the ground via her ankle. She groaned and rolled over in time to see another punch coming. With effort, she caught one of his huge fists in both of her hands and used the strength she had left to hold on to it. “Who _are_ you?”

“Name’s Lobo.” He tried to pull away to take another swing but couldn’t break free of her hold. “That’s L like in lacerate…” She managed to get a good kick in on his shin, which made him stop short for a moment. “Frag it!” He pushed against her with one foot as he continued to try to get his hand free. “Look, I got a job to take you out, so I’m going to take you. Nothing personal, but it sounded like a good time, so I...” He shrugged.

“How much?” The question was out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying. “What are they paying you? Maybe I can match it?”

“Doubt it,” he snorted and twisted his fist free of her grasp. “Unless you’ve got a ship to get me off this fraggin’ planet. The Main Man needs to get home. I’m tired of trying to find decent beer on this rock.” Squaring his shoulders, he made a run at her, trying for a head-butt to her stomach.

She pushed herself out the way, but lost her footing again and hit the ground hard. “Maybe?” She scrambled backwards, trying to get back on her feet. “I know people. I’m an alien, too. I mean, I didn’t just get here by flying _without_ a space ship.” She took a punch to the face and felt a trickle of blood hit the inside of her mouth. Her powers were starting to fade. “Look, Lobo, I _know_ people, okay? I might be able to get you back to wherever you want without you having to kill someone to do it.”

He stopped and cocked his head to the side in thought. “Shut up, already. You crashed landed, girlie. You ain’t got jack shi…” His body stiffened and he fell to his knees as his eyes rolled back into his head.

Kara let out a breath she’d been holding since he stopped punching her and looked around to see who she needed to thank. Her eyes fell to her sister, who was holding up a new toy.

“Just got it. Pretty awesome, right?” Alex walked over to the prone Lobo and shot him again. A bright blue light formed at the end of the short pistol barrel and then zipped out to hit him squarely in the chest. The shot dissipated across his body, lightly sizzling as it ran its course. “It’s like a taser, only more badass.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” Kara slowly stood and shakily leaned against the smashed car next to her. “I really think he was trying to kill me.”

The special agent looked the blonde over carefully. “Maybe we should get you back to the DEO to look you over. Is that,” she leaned in closer, narrowing her eyes, “blood?!”

“A little.” Kara winced as she wiped at the corner of her mouth. “I think I’m okay, though. I mean, this will heal once I’m back at full strength again.”

“Which is why you need to come with me so we can look you over.” Alex glanced back to check on how containment was coming with Lobo. Satisfied he wouldn’t be causing issues, she turned back to her sister. “We need to make sure you really are going to be okay. You _don’t_ bleed, _Supergirl_.”

“I’ll be okay,” the younger woman protested weakly. “I just need to rest, and,” her words dried up. Something was off. She could feel anger and fear mixed with pain and concern. It was a sudden wave that gave her the sensation of drowning in the turmoil of it all. She took in a deep breath as she waved her suddenly extremely concerned sister off and turned to the people standing around them.

Her eyes immediately found Cat, who looked as though she’d rushed to the scene of the fight on foot. In one hand she held her phone up. No doubt the camera was on and recording. The other was tightly fisted around her purse handles, and her whole body was rigid.

“I have to go, Alex,” Kara absently commented as she walked straight for Cat, her eyes never leaving the other woman’s.

“You have to go? You can’t just,” the special agent stopped protesting and huffed. She couldn’t afford to make a scene in front of all of these people, but she was certainly going to when she and her sister were behind closed doors again. Kara needed to be looked over. She needed to rest. She didn’t need to go off on some other savior mission, or, worse, cause yet another scene in front of the press because of Cat Grant. Kara was walking a beeline straight to the woman in question, and Alex could smell trouble about to strike with no way to make it stop.

“Ms. Grant.” Supergirl stopped directly in front of the other woman and crossed her arms. “It’s rare to see you out of your office these days.”

“I was on my way to my favorite bistro when your little kerfuffle interrupted my commute,” Cat replied in a cold voice, but Kara could feel the worry. “I thought I’d take the opportunity to get something decent for the Trib’s afternoon headline since I was here.”

“I see.” The taller blonde narrowed her eyes. “Are you hurt?”

“No, but you seem to be.” Cat shut her camera off and dropped it in her bag, coming out with a small handkerchief. Carefully, she stepped toward the other woman and reached up to wipe at the corner of Kara’s mouth. “I didn’t know superheroes bled.”

Kara didn’t pull away and fought her instinct to move in closer. “Sometimes, when you fight, you get a little bloody.” She stepped back out of Cat’s reach and glanced down at her suit. “And a little dirty. I’m fine.” She could feel the doubt radiate from the other woman and hoped her reassurances were being received. “And everyone else is, too.” She looked around at the group circled around the aftermath of her fight. “No one was hurt, were they?”

After a moment of thoroughly checking via super vision and hearing, she was satisfied that all the people were fine despite the massive collateral damage. The DEO would take care of that, but she still felt incredible guilt for destroying so much of people’s things and the city’s property. She hated doing that and really tried to avoid it.

“Things can be rebuilt, Supergirl.” Cat’s voice lacked the professional edge it normally held when she was in the public eye. “People can’t. I think it’s safe to say that I speak on behalf of most people here when I say that we’re grateful you’re here to protect us from creatures like that.” She nodded at Lobo, who was being loaded into a DEO transport.

“Thank you, Ms. Grant.” Kara uncrossed her arms and took another step back, praying she could still fly and this wasn’t about to end in absolute disaster. “I’ll see you another time, I’m sure.” Pushing off the ground, she forced herself airborne and immediately regretted it. Her powers were flickering out. She decided she had just enough juice to make it to her apartment. Cat’s was too far. She pushed herself to make it to her place before tumbling in through the window and laying out on the floor of her apartment.

She considered getting up and at least changing, but she was too tired to move. Showering would also be nice, but the afternoon sun felt so good beating down on her through her open window, and she just needed to close her eyes for a moment. Five minutes, and, after that, she’d get up, change, and call both Cat and her sister to let them know where she was.

Just five minutes…


	2. Pains

“What are _you_ doing here?” Alex had been taking the steps up to her sister’s apartment two at a time and had nearly collided into the back of Cat Grant, who apparently had gotten a decent head start on her.

The older woman grunted and gripped the railing to keep from falling. “Same as you, I would guess.” Taking a second to rebalance, she moved slightly over to allow the other Danvers on the same step before continuing to the climb up. “I really wish she’d move in with… _into_ a building with an elevator.”

“She doesn’t need it,” Alex replied through catching her breath. “She’s not answering when I call. You?”

“No, but I sense… _feel_ that that she’s _probably_ not conscious,” Cat replied with worry etching her determined look. “She was hurt when she flew off earlier.”

“I know. I told her to come with me so we could assess the damage.” Reaching up to grab the railing to pull herself along, Alex huffed half at the climb and half at the situation. “Instead, she went to talk to you.”

“I’d rather she’d gone to be examined,” the other woman grumbled. “Has she always been this hard headed?”

“Yes,” Alex replied with just a hint of a chuckle despite the worry they were both feeling. “It’s one of the reasons she makes such a good assistant for you.” She snorted. “Too hard headed to get discouraged when you’re being bitchy.”

“It _is_ one of her more charming qualities,” Cat admitted with a sigh, sweat beginning to show at the edges of her hairline. “When this is over, she’s moving. I refuse to have to climb twelve flights of stairs every time she decides to go rouge superhero.”

“Something we can both agree on,” Alex retorted as they came to a breathless halt in front of Kara’s door. Alex took in a deep breath and called out as loudly as she dared, “Kara?”

Cat rolled her eyes. “She’s out cold. Do you have a key or _some_ way to get in there?”

Reaching into one of many pockets on her pants, Alex fished before coming up empty handed. “Shit.” She reached into another pocket. “Why today of all days,” she muttered as she began to frantically dig through every pocket looking for Kara’s key.

“I’ll take that as a no.” The older woman sighed and glanced around them. “I don’t suppose you have paperclips or hair pins or something like that in all those Bat-pockets of yours, do you?” She opened her purse and began to dig around, coming out with a single bobby pin. “I’ll need more than just this.”

Alex stopped searching and stared at the petite woman for a long second. “You’re going to pick her lock?”

Cat shrugged. “Do you have a better idea because, if you _don’t_ have something like a paperclip on you, then we’re breaking this door down, Kara can be mad later. I’m not going to stand out here and do nothing while she’s in there and unconscious.”

“She might not be in there,” Alex offered uncertainly as she opened a few pockets to dig for something to help Cat. “I assumed she was here because it was closer than your place or CatCo, but she might have gone to either of those locations.”

“No,” Cat shook her head and narrowed her eyes at the door. “She’s in there. She’s hurt, and she’s alone. We have got to get in there. Do you have a paperclip or not, Agent Scully?”

Alex glared at the other woman as she pulled out what looked like a type of gun Cat had never seen before, moved the slide, did something with some part that Cat had no name for, and pulled out a small, thin fiber. “Will this filament work?”

“It will do.” Cat yanked it from the younger woman’s hand and knelt in front of the door. Carefully, she inserted the hairpin and then the filament into the doorknob lock and began to manipulate them both until there was an audible ‘click.’ “We’re lucky she didn’t the deadbolt.” She stood and casually opened the door.

Without waiting, Cat darted inside the darkened apartment and straight to where Kara lay curled on her side on the floor in front of the open window. “No sun,” Cat muttered as she swooped down to run her arms under Kara’s and move her to the other side of the room where the sun was shining brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I can’t believe you’re doing that in four inch heels,” Alex commented dryly as she reached down to pick up her sister’s feet to help move her. “We really shouldn’t be moving her at all. If she’s hurt badly…”

“Then she needs to be in the sun,” Cat cut in. She stopped in front of the windows and carefully sat down, pulling as much of Kara into her lap as she could. “Open the window.”

Again, Alex glared at her but complied, carefully settling her sister’s feet before popping up to pull back the curtain and open the window to allow the sun to stream in on her sister and Cat. “She’s breathing?”

“Yes.” Cat ran her free hand over Kara’s forehead and face, pushing away loose strands of hair and looking for other cuts or bruises. She found a few places along her jawline that were beginning to darken, and the blood she’d wiped away earlier had returned to become a drying trickle running down the younger blonde’s chin. “How can she be hurt?” She looked expectantly at Alex. “How is this possible? I thought Kyptonians were practically invincible on Earth.”

“Practically.” The older Danvers sister dropped to her knees beside the couple and reach out to touch the bruising on Kara’s face. “It’s possible for her to use up her powers.”

“Use up?” The older woman shook her head. “What do you mean by that?”

For a moment, Alex debated explaining any of this to Cat, but she had a feeling that, if she didn’t, Cat would find out anyway, and they both had the same end goal in this situation, which was to take care of her sister. Prudently, she decided it was better to have an ally than an enemy of her sister’s girlfriend/queen of all media. “Do you recall when Kara had the flu? She was sniffling and sneezing, and it was on the same day as when those huge explosions rocked the city?”

“Yes. I’d never seen her sick before.” Cat frowned in thought. “I sent her home, but, now that you mention it, she shouldn’t have gotten sick. Correct?”

“Normally, yes.” Alex stopped talking to take Kara’s pulse and nodded in approval before continuing her examination as she spoke. “But, earlier that day, she’d help the government fight a top secret weapon that had nearly beaten her. It took everything she had to take it out, and, after that,” she rolled back onto her heels and looked at Cat, “her powers dried up for about a day. It was temporary. Eventually, the sun will recharge her, and we have special sun beds she can lay in to help speed the process, but, in the meantime, she’s as mortal as the rest of us. Fighting that… that whatever he is must have run her powers out.”

“So there _is_ a sun bed out there than can recharge her?” Cat placed a possessive hand on one of Kara’s limp upper arms. “We need to get her to those sun beds, and I’m going to need one of those beds for my apartment… and possibly my office.”

“This isn’t an Amazon overnight purchase, Cat. These beds are specially designed, and…”

“…and she needs them more readily available than wherever you have them hidden. Besides, I’ll pay for them. I’m not asking your agency to foot the bill, but I _do_ expect to get them. Kara isn’t going to get hurt like this and not have safe places to go where she can heal.”

“She has a safe place.” Alex stood and pulled out her phone. “With me. I’ll take care of her, and, as soon as she’s better…”

“No, you are _not_ separating us again like you did last time she was hurt. I’m not leaving her side, and there’s not enough firepower on this planet or any other to make that happened. Where she goes, I go.” Cat’s grip tightened slightly on Kara’s arm.

The brunette sighed heavily. “It’s a heavily secured and highly top secret facility, Cat. You can’t go there. There’s no way any general in their right mind would allow a media mogul like you into a top secret facility. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

“That’s not happening.” Cat’s eyes narrowed, and her expression steeled.

“Yeah, it is, and we’ve wasted enough time. Kara needs to be transported to the facility.” Alex flipped through her contacts and made the call, turning her back to the other woman as she spoke. “We’re at her apartment. No. Care flight. Yes, there may be an issue. No, nothing I can’t handle. Unconscious. ASAP. Yes, in ten.” She ended the call and slid the phone into her pocket. “You can’t go. I’m sorry, Cat. I realize that it must be difficult for you to not be with her when she’s like this, but…”

“You have no idea what’s it like to not be around her when she’s like this,” Cat hissed. “She’s in pain, and, when she wakes up, she’s going to look for me. If I’m not there…”

“I’ll tell her that you’re waiting for her.” Alex waved her hands dismissively in the air. “I swear to you she’s going to be fine. I’ve been taking care of my sister for years now. I know what I’m doing, and I’ll call you or text you with regular updates.”

Cat shook her head determinedly. “I can’t leave her. I _need_ to be with her right now. I _have_ to be there when she wakes up.”

The brunette threw her arms up in the air. “Why? What’s so important that you want me to break every protocol in the books so you can be there when she wakes up?”

“I… I…” Cat’s jaw hung open for a moment, and she slowly blinked at the other woman. There wasn’t a concrete reason. She simply _knew_ that she needed to be there. “I just do,” she offered weakly, suddenly unsure of what she was actually thinking.

“That’s not enough, Cat,” Alex said with a shake of her head as she turned toward the open window and stuck her hand out to wave at the helicopter coming toward the building. A moment later, a stretcher appeared on a line, and she pulled it inside to settle it next to her sister and Cat. “I need to get her moved.”

“You can’t take her,” the older woman began again. This time, she reached out to grab Alex’s hand to physically remove it from where she positioned it to move her sister. “If I can’t be with her, you can’t take her.”

The brunette looked up with fierce anger in her eyes. “I don’t have time for this right now.” Reaching into a pocket on her pants, she came out with a small, round button looking device. With a quick flick, she tossed it onto the older woman, who yelped once and then hit the floor, unmoving. “Sorry, Cat. That’s going to be one hell of a headache.” After settling Kara on the stretcher, she reached down to remove the small device and return it to her pocket. She debated what to do with Cat for a second before running to close the front door and lock it.

With the help of the hover technology on the bottom of the stretcher, Alex maneuvered it out the window and then grabbed the ladder that was waiting for her. With one last look at the prone woman on the floor of her sister’s apartment, she gave the signal, and the helicopter took off toward the DEO with Supergirl and Agent Danvers dangling beneath it.

* * *

 

Cat slowly woke to a pounding headache. Her body was both stiff and ached, which told her she’d been passed out on the ground for much longer than just a few minutes. The anger at Alex for keeping her from Kara and from knocking her out to do so raged through her while she struggled to sit up, grunting and gasping at the pain shooting through her body from various points.

It felt as if she’d been beaten by someone who know how punch _through_ things. Everything hurt. Her jaw pulsed with pain. Carefully, she stood and tried to steady herself on the back of the sofa. She finally managed to kick her heels off, which gave her the stability she needed to find her way to the bathroom.

She’d never actually been to Kara’s apartment before. She only knew where it was because, at some point, Kara had put her contact information in Cat’s phone. Cat had always assumed Kara’s building didn’t have an elevator. It was an on-going tease she had with the younger woman.

Right now, however, it was a very real complaint. Her legs cried out as she walked. In theory, she shouldn’t be this sore from walking up stairs. She worked out on a regular basis. Climbing twelve flights was tiring, yes, but it shouldn’t wear her down as it seemed it had.

Finally in the bathroom, she flipped the lights on and looked at herself carefully in the mirror. Everything looked normal. She wasn’t cut or bruised anywhere she could see, but the way her body felt made her expect to find at least a few bruises.

Slowly reaching up with an unsteady hand, she poked at the corner of her mouth in the same area she knew Kara’s lip had been split and hissed in pain. “Damn.” She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she looked around the small bathroom. “This is going to be wildly inconvenient,” she muttered while turning on the tub’s faucet to warm the water before beginning to strip.

While the tub filled with warm water, she stepped outside the door to call Carter.

“Mom, you’re going to be late.” It wasn’t a question, and he didn’t sound surprised.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” and she was. She hated missing time with Carter, but she needed to soak away some of the aches so she could at least walk, and she had a pressing urge to find Kara. It was building up slowly, but, eventually, the need was going to overwhelm everything else. “I’ll make it up you to.”

“Game night this weekend with Kara?”

She smiled. That sounded ideal. “Okay, I’m sure we can talk her into agreeing. I’m going to shoot a text to Ginny to let her know I’m running late, and I probably won’t see you before bed time.”

He sighed. “You know, I can handle being alone in the house, Mom.”

“It’s not about you, Carter. It’s about me. Please humor your mother?” She rolled her eyes. Now was not the time for him to assert his growing need for independence.

“Fine, but I want to talk about this soon. I’m practically a teenager.”

“Yes, I realize, which, by the way, isn’t actually a great argument for why I should leave you alone in the penthouse.” She smirked. He was definitely her child. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Carter. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom. Don’t work too hard!”

The call ended, and she slumped, grunting at the pain it caused her. Shaking her head, she shuffled into the bathroom and gently slid into the warm water, releasing a grateful sigh as the heat helped with her aches. Settling, she shot Carter’s nanny a quick text and then scrolled through her contacts to Alex’s name, conveniently located under ‘S’.

“Hello, Agent Scully,” she began as soon as Alex picked up. “I assume Kara is awake?”

“Actually, she just woke up a few minutes ago,” Alex cautiously confirmed. “She’s stable but…”

“Sore and a little bruised?” Cat shifted, swishing warm water over her body.

“Yeah, actually.” She could practically hear the older Danvers sister’s brain trying to work out what angle Cat was going for so she could ready herself for the onslaught. “She…”

“Asked for me as soon as she woke up?” Cat smirked at the sound of the wind being blown out of Alex’s sails.

One long pause later, Alex replied defeatedly, “Yes, she did, but I still can’t allow you in this facility. I’m sorry I knocked you unconscious, but it had to be done. She needed to come here, and we were running out of time fighting over it.”

“I understand you did what you thought you had to do, Alex,” Cat replied in a disturbingly calm voice. “Now I need _you_ to understand something. I’m coming. One way or another, I’ll be by Kara’s side before this night is up. You may either help me or not, but know that I’ll be there soon if Kara doesn’t find a way to escape your watchful eye to get to me first, though I doubt she will. She knows I want her to stay there so she can heal, but she knows I’m coming.”

“Even if you do figure out where we are, which I doubt,” Alex replied in frustration, “you still can’t get in here without permission.”

Cat’s voice flattened. “Try me.”

“There are armed guards, Cat. You’ll be shot before you can make it ten feet. Please don’t push this. Kara would never forgive me if her girlfriend was shot by her allies. Just let us do our job. She’ll be out soon. You’ll see.”

“Expect me before 10 tonight, Agent Scully.” Cat ended the call and checked the time. It was 7:30. That was plenty of time for her to soak for a little bit, find acceptable clothes in Kara’s closet, and then find Kara.

Her phone rang. The caller ID read ‘Scully.’ She tossed the phone on the nearby sink counter and turned to shift further down in the water. Alex had been warned. That’s all she was getting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're wondering, the 'like last time' comment from Cat was when Kara fought the guy made out of rock and the stretchy guy. You know, from the Marvel universe? That was in the previous installment of this universe. ;-)


	3. Flip Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara wakes up and demands answers from Alex about where Cat is and why she isn't at the DEO.

Kara woke up slowly to a pounding headache. Everything was awful. Her muscles were stiff, her body ached, and she felt the tingling of being very angry about something, but she had no idea what.

Mostly, she felt tired.

Struggling to sit up on the sun bed, she groaned at the pain shooting through her body and grunted at the top of the bed that was blocking her way. With a half-hearted push, she managed to move it enough to sit up, which was as far as she could really go. Moving made it abundantly clear that she desperately needed to recharge her battery.

Glancing around, her fuzzy brain registered she was at the DEO. She recognized her sister and Hank watching her cautiously from across the room, but her mind only vaguely registered them. She was quickly becoming singularly focused.

“Where’s Cat?” She cleared her throat and slowly scanned around. “She needs to be here.”

“I’m sorry, Kara, but you know we can’t let Cat into a top secret facility. It’s too much of a security risk,” Alex answered quietly. She was mentally preparing for what she was sure was about to come next, but everything she did had to be done. Her sister needed care only the DEO could provide, and Cat Grant posed too much of a security risk to both the facility and the agency to allow her to come along. Her decision to leave Cat at Kara’s apartment was a necessary evil.

“She’s not a threat,” Kara meekly spat out, griping the side of the bed to keep herself up right. “I need her here.”

Hank raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips in thought. “Why?”

“Because,” the younger Danvers replied with a vague hand motion, “I do. I… I’ll feel better if she’s here.”

“Once you’ve recharged enough,” her sister offered sympathetically, “you can go to her, and then you’ll both feel better.”

Kara took in a long, deep breath and let it out. For a moment, she swayed in her spot as she stared at the floor. “Carter is going to be disappointed that I’m not home on time tonight.”

“Carter?” Alex scowled. “He’ll be fine. It won’t hurt him if you’re away for a few days. Besides, I’m sure Cat can take care of any concerns he has.”

The blonde slowly and somewhat disorientedly shook her head in the negative. “Maybe,” she muttered more to herself than her audience, “we can have game night this weekend to make it up to him.”

“If you’re strong enough,” Hank replied as he tipped his head to the side, considering her, “then I’m sure you can.”

“Alex, I _really_ need Cat here,” Kara stated with a little force behind her words. “She’d be really mad at me for leaving here before I’m recharged, so I can’t just take off, but…”

Her sister’s phone rang, cutting everyone off. “Danvers.”

Alex winced, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing heavily. She glanced at her sister with narrowed eyes. “Actually, she just woke up a few minutes ago,” she cautiously confirmed. “She’s stable but…”

Kara’s posture straightened. “Is that Cat?”

Her older sister waved her question off. “Yeah, actually.” Alex turned to Hank and silently mouthed, ‘Cat is pissed,’ to which he sagely nodded as a small smirk graced his lips. “She…”

Kara waved at Alex from her sun bed to get her attention. “Let me talk to her.”

Alex held a hand up, an annoyed look settling in on her features. Cat kept cutting her off, and it was starting to piss her off. She took a moment to count to ten before trying to sound anything but angry. The older woman would definitely feed off of that. “Yes, she did, but I still can’t allow you in this facility. I’m sorry I knocked you unconscious,” she glanced guiltily up at her sister, who suddenly was laser focused on Alex, “but it had to be done. She needed to come here, and we were running out of time fighting over it.”

Eyes narrowing, Kara growled quietly, “What do you _mean_ you knocked her unconscious?”

Alex mouthed, ‘I’ll explain in a second. I promise.’

As Cat’s warning that she would be with Kara by the end of the night sounded over the phone, she groaned. This wasn’t going to end well for her, the DEO, or possibly Cat Grant. Cat was going to get into serious trouble, or, worse very hurt if she persisted. She needed to stand down before something really bad happened. “Even if you do figure out where we are, which I doubt,” she replied in frustration to the older woman’s threats, “you still can’t get in here without permission.”

The reply she received made her throw her head back and her free hand out in a plea to whatever gods might be paying attention to get the woman on the other end of the line to listen to reason. “There are armed guards, Cat. You’ll be shot before you can make it ten feet. Please don’t push this. Kara would never forgive me if her girlfriend was shot by her allies. Just let us do our job. She’ll be out soon. You’ll see.”

She turned in time to see her sister nearly bolt off the bed and was thankful Hank kept her from moving.

Cat hung up on her with a promise she’d be at the DEO facility before ten that night, and something told her that, somehow, Cat Grant would be able to figure out where, exactly, that facility was located, which could end disastrously.

Alex tried to call her back and rolled her eyes when the voicemail picked up. This was all very bad and about to get worse. Steadying herself, she turned to her sister and nodded at Hank to take a step back. “I can explain everything.”

Kara settled back on the bed and crossed her arms. “Start with why and _how_ you knocked Cat out and then move to why you wouldn’t let me talk to her just now.”

Nodding, Alex pulled up a chair next the bed and took a seat. This discussion was going to take a while.

* * *

 

“You can’t keep doing this, Alex,” Kara coldly stated from her spot on the sun bed where she’d been perched for twenty minutes as her sister explained what happened. “Cat is _not_ the enemy.”

“I know that,” her sister quietly responded, sighing as she dragged a hand though her hair. “I’ve never said she was.”

The blonde crossed her arms and gave a small, frustrated growl. “No, but you have said that she’s a risk, and she _not a risk_. You keep pushing her away when I need her the most. This makes _twice_ that you’ve kept me from talking to her when she’s called looking for me after I’ve been hurt, and the only reason you can give me is some lame attempt at trying to keep me from getting more upset as if we’re in the Victorian Era and you think women who have strong feelings need to be kept quarantined for everyone’s safety.”

“And _that_ is exactly why I don’t like how much time you’re spending with Cat.” Alex waved an accusatory hand through the air. “The more time you spend with her, the more you sound and act like her. That last sentence? That’s not you, Kara. That’s not my sister. That is 100 percent Cat Grant, and I just don’t know where it’s coming from. Frankly,” she leaned backed in her chair slumping a little as the weight of her concern slammed against her, “I’m worried. You’ve never acted like this before, and, although I want you to be happy,” she grimaced at the disbelieving look she was given, “I _do_ , and I get it. Cat can be a really amazing person when she’s not trying to act like a bitch to assert her authority. I mean, I _did_ encourage you to go after her, didn’t I?”

Some tension rolled from Kara’s body as she thought it over. “Yes, you did, which is why I’m so confused about why you’re acting like this now. What’s changed, Alex? Why do you suddenly hate Cat?”

“I don’t hate Cat,” the brunette exasperatedly fired back. “Kara, I have responsibilities that clash with Cat’s natural inclinations, and I’m surprised you can’t see the conflict of interest happening here.”

She gestured around them. “I have a duty to ensure the secrecy of the DEO and the security of its facilities. That’s part of my job, and, as a law enforcement agent, I’ve taken an oath swearing that I will protect the safety and security of America and its interest, which means I’ve taken an oath to prevent potentials risks that could do harm to this agency and those who work here. Cat has a duty to the truth. She’s a natural born reporter, which means she _snoops_. It’s what she does. I don’t think she could stop herself if she tried, and she’s also a very shrewd businesswoman. She knows how to sell her media to the masses. It’s why she has a literal empire, which means that, if she had confirmation that something like the DEO existed, I have a hard time believing she could keep it a secret. It hits on both aspects of her personality.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “She kept my secret.”

“That’s different,” Alex countered with an eye roll of her own. “She’s in love with you. You’re part of her private life, which she keeps very guarded. Of course she’s going to protect you, but for how long?”

The younger sister shook her head. “What do you mean?”

“What happens if you two have a really bad fight or, worse, break up? How long before she no longer sees it in her best interest to protect _your_ secrets? Every person she’s ever dated has eventually ended up on the front page of one her publications with a scathing, and always true, article revealing some incredibly hidden and nasty detail about their personal life. It’s always about a year after their breakup, it’s always something juicy, and it always sells. Kara,” Alex heavily sighed, “I also have a duty as your big sister to support you, but I’m supposed to protect you, too. _If_ something like that happens, you’re going to need a safe place to be, and that safe place is here at the DEO. This place can’t be your safe place if Cat Grant has already exposed it.”

Kara slowly shook her head in the negative. “Cat’s not going to do that, Alex, and, even if she did, keeping me from speaking to her on the phone now isn’t going to stop her supposed future actions regarding risks that she may expose my or the DEO’s secrets which may never happen, so I’m going to ask you again. Why are you keeping me from talking to her on the phone?”

The older Danvers sister leaned forward in her chair, elbows resting on her knees, and stared down at the floor for a long moment. She slowly flexed her hands as she took in deep breaths and slowly let them out again before sitting back up to meet the blonde’s eyes. “Maybe I’m jealous?”

“Jealous?” Kara’s face was a twisted mixture of incredulousness and surprise. “God, Alex, why would you be jealous? Of what?”

“I… I don’t know.” The brunette closed her eyes against the angry expression slowly spreading over her sister’s face. “If I’m jealous, I don’t realize I’m doing it, but you’re right. I don’t have a valid reason to keep you two from at least talking on the phone. I guess…” She opened her eyes and winced at the intense, piercing looking Kara was giving her. “I guess I’m not used to you needing someone else. It’s always just been us.”

Kara narrowed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “Just because I have Cat doesn’t mean I don’t need you, but,” she waited until she was sure her sister was paying full attention to her, “you have to understand that I _need_ Cat, too. That’s not going to change, and I need _you_ to understand that you’re both important to me. Alex, you’re my sister. I’m always going to need you, and I’m always going to want your support, but it’s not your job to always protect me, and, if I fall with Cat, then I will deal with it. You can’t protect me from heartache.” She raised her eyebrows and gave the brunette a couple of seconds to process what she was saying. “Does that make sense?”

Alex weakly nodded. “Yeah, it makes sense, and I’m sorry, Kara. I’ve just spent so many years protecting you that it’s hard to turn that switch off or even down, you know?” She barked out a mirthless chuckle. “I’ll try to be better. Really, I don’t mind Cat. I _do_ mind she calls me Agent Scully, but I guess I can deal with that.”

“Well, you did tell her you work for the FBI, and you _do_ work closely with and are basically related to an alien, so…” Kara smirked and shrugged.

“Fine.” Alex dismissed the whole thing with a playful wave of her hand. “But, even if I am toning it down, Kara, you know she can’t come here. I can’t change basic secured facility protocols just because your girlfriend wants to see you.”

The blonde scoffed. “Why not? James has been in here multiple times.”

“That’s because James has a clearance thanks to your cousin. He came to National City already holding a top secret security clearance with sensitive compartmented information access.” Alex shrugged. “He was vetted, and the risks were acceptable.”

“Well then, why can’t get Cat a TS with SCI access?” Kara huffed. “James is a journalist, too, so it’s not like there isn’t a precedent for journalists to have clearances, right?”

“That’s not how it works, Kara.” Alex mentally bemoaned her situation. She hated doing this, but she had a responsibility. “I’m honestly not sure how James was cleared, but Cat would never make it through the clearance process. Between her contacts, her business, and her reputation, she’d never make it through the vetting process. OPM would never clear her.”

“The Office of Personnel Management? You mean the same office that allowed their databases to be hacked and thousands of people’s personal identifying information to be stolen?” Kara actually snorted. “I hardly think they should be the go-to for anything concerning security risks these days.”

Slowly, Alex ran a hand over her face. “Kara,” her voice was tired. This fight was exhausting. “I don’t have the authority to override security protocol. If I did, I would let her in, but I don’t. No one at this facility has that authority, and, if Cat tries to barge her way in, she’s going to end up hurt,” Alex’s frown deepened, “or worse. You need to stop her from trying to come here for her own safety.”

Kara shivered at the thought that Cat could be killed for simply trying to see her. That was the _last_ thing she wanted to happen tonight, but her need to be with Cat was starting to become physically painful. She _had_ to be near the older woman. She was torn. On one hand, she saw her sister’s point, but, on the other hand, there was Cat.

Cat being Cat shouldn’t be a reason unto itself, but it was, and that reason was consuming her and making it difficult for her to think clearly. “Okay,” she replied quietly as her voice cracked from the strain it was taking her to really focus on something other than her need to be with Cat. “But we have to think of something and soon. Cat isn’t going anywhere, and eventually something will happen, and she will try to barge in here. It’d be nice if that didn’t end with anyone in jail or in the hospital.”

“I’ll talk to J’onn and see what we can do, but, honestly, I’m not sure there’s much we _can_ do,” her sister replied with defeat lacing her voice. This seemed to be a no win situation.

“I have a few people I can talk to, too,” Kara said as she slowly scooted off the bed to retrieve her phone from the nearby desk. “What?” She scowled at the side eye look from her sister, “I _am_ Supergirl. I know people.” She carefully pushed herself back onto the sun bed and settled. “I’ve saved a lot people. I think I can ask for this _one_ thing, don’t you?”

“I think it’d either take an executive order or an act of Congress to get access rights granted to her, but,” Alex bemusedly shook her head, “you’re right. You _are_ Supergirl, and Supergirl has surprised me more than once, so maybe she’ll do it again?”

“Oh yeah,” Kara replied with determination as she hit Cat’s number and pulled the phone up to her ear, “that’s a thing that’s going to happen.” She smiled when Cat’s voice sounded in her ear after just a single ring.

“Kara? Tell me where you are and that you’re alright.”

She had to chuckle. Of course Cat would demand instead of ask. It was strangely nice to hear that level of consistency from the older woman. “I’m fine, Cat. Well, I’m _mostly_ fine. My powers are blown, and I’m going to need to recharge, but, by tomorrow, I should be charged enough to come home.”

“To the penthouse.” Cat’s tone indicated there would be no argument. Kara was going to Cat’s to recover. “Now, tell me where you are, or do I need to find you on my own?”

“No, don’t do that.” Kara could feel Cat’s worry. She’d been feeling it since she awoke. She’d also felt Cat’s anger at Alex and Cat’s guilt for not being with Carter. She could feel all the turmoil of Cat’s emotions, and it was both comforting and disjointing. Those feelings were there. They allowed her a direct connection to the older woman, but they were separate from her as well. It was odd and difficult to explain.

Cat sighed. “Tell me why I can’t come to you because I’m very certain that I _could_ find you.”

“I know you could.” Kara cleared her throat and allowed her disappointment to take her over for a moment. She felt desperate and miserable. All she really wanted to do was be with Cat, but that wasn’t going to happen tonight.

“Kara,” Cat’s voice pulled her back. “Why are you so sad? I can… I can feel it. What’s happened?”

“You can’t be here tonight, Cat. It’s too dangerous for you. You don’t have the clearances, and no one here can grant them to you, but Alex and I are working on fixing it so that you _can_ be here the next time, and I…,” she swallowed down the lump in her throat. She was so frustrated. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted Cat. “…I can’t come to you tonight, either. I have to recharge at least enough have human-like strength. I’m too weak to leave.”

She heard Cat sniffle on the other end of the line, and she knew the other woman was crying. “When will you be home?”

The younger blonde took in a shaky breath, “As soon as I can. Hopefully before lunch tomorrow if I rest through tonight.”

“I… I have to be at work tomorrow.” Cat’s voice cracked.

Kara’s shoulders sagged at the sound. “I know. I’ll find you, Cat.”

“Okay,” the older woman replied quietly. “But the only reason I’m not coming for you right now is because…”

“…I’m asking you not to. I know that, too.” Kara quietly chuckled. “I’ll make sure Alex understands that your decision had nothing to do with her.”

“Good.” Cat sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, and,” Kara glanced at her sister and smirked, a light mischievousness dancing in her eyes, “Ms. Grant, I’m afraid I’m going to have to call in sick tomorrow.”

“Kiera, you know how much I loathe it when the people who work for me call in sick,” Cat replied without missing a beat, and Kara could feel the older woman’s amusement as she continued in an irritated tone, “but I hate it more when sick people are in my building. All those germs, and you know I can _not_ afford to be sick. After all…”

“…you have an empire to run, and you being sick costs millions in lost revenue a day. Yes, Ms. Grant, I understand.” Kara’s amused grin was starting to hurt a little, but she couldn’t help it. She loved these moments. “I promise I’ll be back to my normal self in a day, possibly two.”

“Fine. I’ll just have to get that Witt boy to screen my calls and get my lunch while you’re out. He was vaguely sufficient the last time you decided to get sick,” Cat responded sharply. “I suppose he’ll do.”

Kara actually laughed out loud. “God, I wish I could see Winn’s face when he realizes he’s filling in for me again. The last time, you almost broke him, Cat.”

“He’ll be fine. Unlike last time, I know you’re fine, so he’ll only have to deal with my normal level of daily frustration,” Cat answered with a chuckle of her own before adding in the same breath, “I’ll record it on my phone when I tell him.”

“I can’t wait to watch it,” Kara responded with a little giggle before sobering up. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’m counting on it,” Cat replied, all traces of humor gone. “Goodnight, Sunshine.”

“Goodnight.” Kara pulled the phone away and ended the call. She stared at the screen until it went dark and a few seconds after before looking back to her sister. “We have to fix this, Alex.”

“We will,” her sister replied gently. “You try to get some rest and recharge. I’ll go start the talks to see what can be done to allow Cat Grant, Queen of all Media, into the DEO.” She rolled her eyes. “Maybe I’ll get some coffee first.”

Kara chuckled. “That might be a good idea.” She shot her sister a reassuring and thankful smile as she left the room and then settled back onto the sun bed content to allow herself to feel Cat. She smiled as the older woman’s presence settled into the front of her consciousness.

Cat was tired and grumpy. She was frustrated, too, but, underneath all of that, Cat was relieved to know Kara was okay. She was also relieved to be going home to Carter, and she was looking forward to making Winn’s life terrible tomorrow.

Kara laughed again. Winn was her best friend, and she should be angry with how much Cat was looking forward to torturing Winn, but all Kara could focus on was how funny that video was going to be.

She fell asleep to the feeling of Cat’s consciousness surrounding her and the promise of a recording of Winn’s horrified face amusing her by tomorrow afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOSH, I'm sorry it's been so frickin' long since I updated. I hope you all aren't disappointed with this after wait. >_


	4. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara has a chat with her mother to figure out what is going on between her and Cat.

“Cat,” Kara grumbled as she struggled to wake up. Her body felt lighter but still too heavy, and her eyes refused to open. She grunted, fighting to pull her arm up enough to wipe at her eyes with the tips of her fingers.

“Maybe you should go back to sleep?” She could hear her sister walking toward her. “Cat is probably at work,” she offered with only a hint of frustration. “It’s already ten.”

“She’s at work,” Kara confirmed as she slowly pushed herself up and finally opened her eyes. “And whatever is going on has her pretty angry. Winn must be falling down on the job,” she added with a small smirk.

“How do you know that?” Her sister narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in question as she crossed her arms.

“Uh,” the blonde glanced to the side for a quick second, trying to hide her wince. “Lucky guess?” She gave a little shrug. “I mean, you know how difficult Cat can be to please.”

“Uh-huh.” Alex sniffed suspiciously at her younger sister. “Want to try that again?”

Kara huffed. “Alex…”

“Kara, no.” The brunette held a hand up to stop whatever line she was about to be told. “Something is going on with you two, isn’t it? Between how you’ve been acting and how she’s been acting recently, you can’t tell me there isn’t _something_ more going on than you’re finally dating. Now, come on,” she nudged her sister’s leg with her foot, “spill.”

Staring down at the floor for a long moment, Kara tried to decide what to do. She hadn’t even had a chance to discuss this with Cat yet, and it seemed wrong to talk to someone else about it first, especially when she wasn’t even sure if what was happening was what she thought was happening. She needed to be sure. “I don’t yet,” she finally answered begrudgingly. “I have an idea, but I need to talk to my mom first. I need to _know_.” She gave her sister an apologetic look. “You know?”

“No, but I can’t force you to tell me.” Alex walked over to lean on a nearby table. “Will you at least tell me if what’s going on between the two of you is going to start effecting your powers?”

Kara took in a deep breath and raised one shoulder in a half shrug. “It might?” She winced, feeling Alex’s glare on her. “But I don’t know. I need to check into some things first, and, even if it _did_ do something to my powers, which I’m not even sure about,” she added quickly, holding her hands up in innocence to stop her sister’s response, “I’m not sure we could do anything about it.”

“Look,” she pushed off the bed onto acceptably stable legs, “I’m going to go freshen up and then head over to talk to,” it wasn’t really her mother, but it was as close as she would ever get again, and, at this point, she could really use her mother’s presence even if it was just a facsimile, “look into it,” she gave her sister a pointed look, “ _alone._ ”

“Fine.” Alex threw her hands up in frustration. “But, after you figure it out, you _will_ tell me, right?”

“After I’ve talked to Cat, yes,” Kara confirmed with a nod. “Alex, I will tell you. I promise. I just have to figure out what _it_ is first, and it’s kind of private, so could you maybe give me a little space on this until I get it sorted out?”

“Yeah, okay,” the brunette reluctantly agreed as she watched her sister walk out of the room.

* * *

 

“Witt!” Cat was in no mood for incompetence today. Without Kara there to be her gatekeeper, everything was on fire. Her appointments were behind, her coffee had been cold, and Winn was too scared of her to be useful. “I need those layouts. Chop, chop!”

“Yes, Ms. Grant. S-sorry,” Winn babbled as he rushed in with the layouts she’d asked for twenty minutes earlier. “Uh, James was just finishing them up, and I had to…”

She held her hand up to cut him off. “Witt,” she internally smirked at the wince that crossed his face, “Do I look like I care what your excuse is this time?”

Winn had been running late since the day started, and she was _this_ close to burning him alive. Tardiness was not something she tolerated. His mouth snapped shut, and he quickly shook his head in the negative. “N-no, Ms. Grant. It won’t happen again.”

“Good.” She scowled down at the layouts and picked up a pen to scrawl her notes quickly across the page. “I’ve seen my pre-teen son do a better photoshop job than this. What are we paying these graphic designers for?” She rolled her eyes. “It’s certainly not for their talent if this is any indication.”

“Well, I…” Winn began and then abruptly stopped when Cat threw him a dagger filled look.

“Take these back and tell the editors that…” Her voice caught, and her eyes widened. She felt _something_ , and, a second later, she _knew_ Kara was finally awake. “…and…” She blinked, trying to refocus, but the overwhelming feeling of Kara’s presence wrapping around her so quickly threw her mental balance off.

She shook her head and blinked a few times.

“Ms. Grant?” Winn took a tentative step toward her desk. “Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know,” she answered quietly as she leaned back in her chair and turned her attentions inward for a moment. Kara was uneasy and slightly afraid. What was going on? She began to reach for her phone but stopped mid-motion and forced herself back to the task at hand, making a mental note to speak to Kara about whatever this was because it was starting to interfere with work, which was completely unacceptable.

“Winn,” she said in a strained voice, and he startled at the use of his correct name, “take these back and have them correct this god awful mess they call a photo editing job and then call Kara.” She glanced at her calendar and frowned. “I have a meeting in five minutes, but I need to know,” she looked back at him, handing the layouts to him as she moved, “that everything is fine where she is. Something’s… off.”

He cautiously took the layouts and nodded. “Is she okay?”

Cat shook her head. “If I knew that answer, I wouldn’t be asking you to call her.” Taking in a deep breath and blowing out her concern with it, she waved him off with her free hand as she began dialing in for her conference call with the other. “Go. Get those layouts fixed, and call Kara. Go on. I don’t pay you to stand around and stare at me. Usually, people pay _me_ to stand around and stare at me, so, unless you plan to credit me back for all this time you’re wasting, I suggest you hurry up.”

He shook his head but turned to leave, concerned for his friend and uncomfortably concerned about his boss.

* * *

 

“Hello, Little One.” Kara gave a small, sad smile to the projection that greeted her as she entered the room dedicated to the database from her home planet. The visage of her mother stood in the center, and it was at once comforting and disconcerting.

“Hi,” she replied uncertainly. She still had problems with what to call the image. It felt wrong to call her mother, but anything else felt wrong, too. “I’ve come to research a potential personal issue.”

The image nodded. “What type of personal issue?”

The young woman began to pace as she considered the best way to access the information, which, if she were honest with herself, was really a way to figure out how to ask her mother something no sane child ever wants to ask their mother. She forced herself to stop pacing and turned to face the ethereal figured before her.

Glancing around the room, she made a snap decision for the sake of her privacy and switch to Kryptonian, certain no one at the DEO would be able to decipher it without effort. At the very least, it would keep Alex busy enough working on a decryption key to leave her alone for a few days.

Kara shook her head. That wasn’t her thought. She trusted her sister, and her sister had promised her privacy. She frowned, but couldn’t force herself from keeping the extra layer of privacy, just in case.

“I’d like to talk to you in Kyrptonian,” she began in the language in question.

The image nodded and responded in kind. “Of course.”

Reaching back, Kara pulled the tip of her cape into her hands and began to fidget with it. “I need a better understanding of our mating practices.”

Her sudo-mother tilted her head in thought. “That information would take several days to relay. Could you narrow down the search?”

She rolled her eyes at herself. Naturally, it couldn’t be that easy. “When we… when we _mate_ ,” she began in an uncertain and slightly embarrassed tone, “what happens?”

The image seemed to process for a moment before replying. “Are you asking where children come from?”

Kara choked on air. “No! No. That, uh, no.” She could feel her cheeks burning. “I mean,” she wiped at her face with one as she held tighter to her cape’s end with the other, “do we develop a physical connection that lasts after the initial, um… well, I mean, after we…” She sighed. This was ridiculous. She needed to just come out with it. “I finally had sex with Cat, and now I can feel what she feels, and I’m starting to think like her. Is that normal?”

She blinked in surprise at herself. That was definitely _not_ her usual way of dealing with things. It was Cat’s.

The image smiled and nodded. “Ah, you’ve found your mate. I had hoped you might, despite being on Earth.”

“You… what? So this is a thing?” The cape fell from Kara’s hands. “Why didn’t you tell me about this when I was a teenager? Was this common at home? Did you and Father have this kind of connection? How would this even happen?”

The light projection flickered for a second as if to indicate the rapid fire questions were starting to become too much for it to process all at once. “It was not unheard of on Krypton, but it was uncommon. Based on our research of those who experienced such a bond, we believed it had to do with our physical chemistry and the unique properties Kryptonian DNA possess. It’s those same properties that allow you to fly on Earth.”

“That answered nothing,” Kara replied with a huff. “Can’t you tell me _how_ this works?”

“No.” The image gave a gentle smile at Kara’s glare. “We were just beginning the research it when Krypton was destroyed.”

“Yeah, that seems about right.” Taking in a deep breath, Kara tried to calm down. “Is there a way to reverse it, or is it going to get worse? How does it end if we just let it go?”

“There is no known way, outside of the death of one partner, to negate the connection. Based on the limited research available regarding this phenomenon, the strength of the connection will begin to normalize a few months after the initial bonding.”

“So, a lot worse.” The young woman crossed her arms and started at the projection for a long moment as she considered this new information. “You know, it’d have been nice if you’d told me all of this when I was a teenager.”

The image nodded solemnly. “We were preoccupied with saving Krypton and, later, getting you and Kal-El to safety. Reproduction and mating were not our top priorities.”

Kara sighed. It was difficult to be angry with the logic. Still, it would have been good to know that a permanent bonding situation could happen with a potential partner _before_ she slept with them. It’s like having a potentially communicable disease and not telling the other person the risks. She felt like she’d violated Cat, and that made her feel dirty in a way she didn’t have words for.

Would Cat understand? Could she forgive her for doing this? Cat was human. She hadn’t signed up for weird Kryptonian… wait.

Kara’s eyes snapped back into focus and lasered in on the projection. “My partner is human. How is it possible that she is experiencing this bond?”

Her mother’s image stilled as the computer processed the query. “I don’t have enough data to answer this question. Was there something and/or someone also involved in your initial mating experience?”

The blonde’s eyes popped. Never in her wildest dreams would she have expected any version of her mother to ask her if she’d had a threesome. “No!” She choked out the answer. “Nothing like that. It was just me and Cat.”

“You didn’t harm her during your coupling?” The projection tilted her head again in question. “Given your strength versus that of a human, it is unlikely that your superior strength would have not injured her in some way.”

“We thought of that, and I had a ring made with a small piece of Kryptonite in it that mitigates my strength and makes me, essentially, human while I wear it so I won’t hurt her.”

The image nodded, processing. “It is possible the Kryptonite is the unknown factor as to why Cat is experiencing the bond. I would suggest additional testing.”

“Oh crap.” Kara groaned. “Nothing is ever easy.”

“Is that a question?” Her mother’s voice pulled her away from her rant.

“No.” She shook her head. “That’s all for now. Thank you.”

“Of course, Kara,” the image replied with a gentle smile before flickering off.

Wiping at her face one more time, Kara turned toward the door intent on finding Cat and immediately talking to her about what to do next.

So much for the worst and weirdest thing happening to them as a couple being the occasional tabloid spread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. It's been a sixty long years since I updated this, and I'm truly sorry. I will try to be better and get this finished out.


	5. A Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Kara discuss the strange situation they find themselves in.

“Well, she’s in a conference call right now, which I think is the only reason she’s not on the phone with you,” Winn said with a groan. “Honestly, Alex, I’ve never seen a shaken Cat Grant. It was… weird.” He glanced over the top of his monitor to see Cat barking toward the phone on her desk. “But she seems fine now.”

“You can tell her that Kara’s okay,” Alex’s voice crackled over the line, sounding frustrated with just a slight tinting of defensiveness. “She had to go check on something; don’t ask me what because I don’t know, and I’m sure she’ll be at Catco any moment now.”

“It would be great if that happened,” he replied anxiously. “You know the only person who can please Cat is Kara.”

Alex’s voice fell flat. “You could’ve worded that better.”

“What?” He blinked a few times before his unintended double entrada sank in. “Oh! Oh, God. No! That is _not_ what I meant at all. God, Alex. So… yeah, just… look, Kara’s okay?”

“I think she’s still a little weak, and I’d prefer it if she stayed here and rested another day, but, so long as she settles somewhere with plenty of sun, I think she’ll be fine by the end of the day.”

Winn let out a thankful sigh. A flash of red had caught his eye, and the look of pure relief on Cat’s face told him that Kara had finally made it. “I think she’s here.”

Alex gave a hum of understanding. “On the balcony, I hope.”

“Yeah, so I’m just going to go since I don’t have to report out to Cat now.”

She chuckled. “I’m learning she can be a handful.”

“Can?” He snorted. “I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

“Thanks, Winn.”

“Sure thing.”

* * *

 

“I’ve given you my answer,” Cat coolly responded to the others on the conference call. “I expect to have that report in hand by the end of the week. If I’m not looking over these numbers by Friday morning, all of you can start looking for new positions elsewhere because you won’t have one here. Is that clear?”

Her body felt electric. Something was happening, and she was positive it had to do with Kara. She’d gone from feeling like her normal self to the addition of something bordering on anticipation within the span of the conference call, and now it was taking all of her willpower to stay with the meeting instead of walking away and toward her balcony.

“Ms. Grant,” one of the junior tenured vice presidents began, “it would be better to give us a full week to prepare this report. We want to give you accurate numbers.”

“I expect nothing less,” she shot back, body tensing from the fight to not go to the balcony. “And it would be better to get me that report by Friday. Guess which one of us is getting what would be better for them.”

The young woman cleared her throat. “Yes, Ms. Grant. I understand.”

“Good,” Cat snapped, yanking the glasses from the bridge of her nose and pushing back from her desk. “Anyone else have any concerns?” Her voice made it clear the answer expected should be in the negative, and, after a few murmurs of ‘no,’ she ended the call and abruptly stood up from her desk.

With uncharacteristic hurry, she rushed from her seat to the balcony’s door and pushed outside. “You’re distracting.”

Kara stood from her spot on one of the chairs and chuckled, “So are you.”

“Ordinarily, I’d play along with some light flirting, but, Kara, this is serious.” The older woman came to a stop a hair’s breadth away from the other. “I could literally feel your approach, and it nearly pulled me away from an important board meeting.” Despite the anger and irritation in her words, she reached out with both hands and wrapped her arms around the taller woman, pulling them close so she could rest her head on the other woman’s chest. “What is going on?”

Kara could feel the concern and just a taste of fear rolling off of Cat. She took a moment to debate the best way to explain what she thought might be happening, finally settling on the direct approach. That had always worked the best for them.

“I’m not completely positive,” she began as she carefully navigated her words, “but I think we may have bonded. It’s,” she cut in before Cat could break in with a barrage of questions, “something that can but rarely happens with Kryptonians. Our scientists were just starting to study the phenomenon when my planet was destroyed.”

Cat could feel Kara’s guilt, which made her feel unsettled. She pulled back enough to move them to the couch. Settling, they faced each other, keeping their hands entwined. “Can you at all be more specific about this bonding?”

“A little,” the younger woman replied bleakly. “It only happens after… um…” She blew out a long stream of air. “After we mate with someone, and, even then, it’s not really common. The research says it probably has something to do with Kryptonian DNA.”

“Okay,” Cat responded, drawing the word out as she thought on the presented information. “But I’m not Kyrptonian.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kara sighed out. “I… I don’t know why it’s effecting you, but I think, maybe, it has something to do with the Kryptonite.”

“I understood that humans were immune to the effects of Kryptonite,” Cat shot back, shock and worry flashing across her face.

“They are!” Kara quickly assured before realizing how unlikely that sounded based on the theory she’d just presented. “At least, they normally are.” She glanced down, pulling out of Cat’s grasp and wrapping her arms around herself. “When I was doing the research to try to figure all of this out, one of the suggestions was that it was a combination of the Kryptonite, my DNA, and yours. Like, I don’t know, maybe the Kryptonite is causing some kind of DNA melding, maybe?”

“DNA melding?” Cat sat back abruptly. “Am I going to start shooting lasers from my eyes?”

“No, nothing like that,” the younger blonde answered tiredly. “There’s just not enough research out there to really know, but I suspect it probably has to do with my species’ ability to basically mind meld with their mates in some kind of combination with the Kryptonite radiation.”

The older woman snorted derisively. “That sounds like bad Star Trek technobabble.”

“Yeah,” Kara drearily responded, keeping her eyes on the ground by her feet, “I know, but it’s the best answer I could think of based on what I know.”

They sat in silence for a long stretch of time. Kara could feel Cat’s turmoil over the situation, and Cat could feel Kara’s profound guilt.

With a deep breath, Cat pushed to stand up, seeming to shake away everything until the only thing Kara could feel was Cat’s sudden burst of certainty. “Well, no one said being with an alien was going to be an easy ride.”

“You’re… you’re not mad?” The younger woman stared up, eyes wide with confusion and shock.

“It’s clear you didn’t know this could happen. I mean, I can _sense_ that fact, even though you didn’t come out and say it, and I refuse to be angry with you because you and I are well paired enough to have bonded during sex.” She gave a little shrug. “I would have preferred a more romantic take on soul mates, but, honestly, Kara, this way is much more us.”

Kara swallowed down the threatening tears and stood to join Cat. “You mean because it all happened so quickly?”

“No, nothing about us happened quickly. I mean because it happened accidentally because we finally gave in and had sex,” Cat replied with a smirk. “So, no, I’m not mad, but I am concerned. Is there a way to control the physical reactions, and how intense will this connection become? The other night when you woke up, I literally felt all the cuts and bruises _you_ had. It wasn’t pleasant, and, frankly, I’m too old to have to continually recover from bar fights I didn’t even have myself.”

In an instant, Kara was running her fingers gently over the older woman’s face, checking for imperfections. “You felt that? Are you hurts?”

“I’m not hurt, but I did feel it.” Cat leaned into the touch. “I’ve been sore all day.” She stepped closer, again wrapping herself around the superhero. “Actually, it wasn’t until I physically touched you that the aching stopped.”

“Yeah,” the younger woman sighed heavily. “I’m thinking it’s the bond. I vaguely remember an aunt and uncle I had who were rarely apart. I always thought it was because they loved each other, which was rare on Krypton. Usually, marriages were full of respect, but love was uncommon. Now?” She pulled back enough to place a kiss on the other woman’s temple, “I’m thinking they may have been bonded and needed the close physical proximity to feel at ease.”

Cat groaned. “Well, that’s going to become inconvenient. I can’t walk around with my assistant draped over me like a mink stole, and Supergirl can’t go flying around with a Cat Grant bobble head on her back as she saves the day.”

Kara chuckled. “Yeah, I could see where that might cause problems on both sides. Although, I’d really like to know where to get a Cat Grant bobble head. I may need one for my desk.”

“Limited edition. I believe you were in high school when they came out,” Cat replied with a chuckle. “God, your age…”

“We’ve been through this, Cat,” Kara chastised, relieved that her worries were assuaged. “But, let’s not get off topic.” She let go of the other woman and took a few steps back to give them physical space to think. “I honestly don’t know how bad this is going to get. I think we’re going to have to get Alex involved.”

“Agent Scully is not welcome into our relationship, Kara.” Cat held a hand up to block the oncoming protest. “Whatever is happening is going to happen regardless because I’m not going to walk away from you over this, and I know you’re not going to let me go that easily. I can feel your conviction as I’m sure you can feel mine. Now,” she crossed her arms, leveling the other woman with a firm look, “I know you trust your sister, but I have every reason not to. Not only has she kept me from your side when you’ve been hurt, but she literally forced me into unconsciousness to do it the last time. She’s kept us from so much as speaking on the phone with each other. I can only image what kind of interference she’ll run if she learns about this newest development.”

“But what if this is all somehow slowly making you sick or killing you or something? We should be careful,” Kara protested lightly, knowing that Cat’s points were valid and feeling a little of that concern herself.

“I’d say it’s a little too late to worry about that now.” Cat waved a hand to dismiss the rising concerns. “I’m in it for the duration, Kara. Are you?”

“Yeah, of course I am,” Kara replied with surprise she had to be asked. Stepping closer, she reach out to pull Cat in using a gentle touch to the petite woman’s cheek. Leaning down, she kissed Cat gently but firmly. “You’re right, Cat. I don’t want to walk away from us.”

“Well then, I’d say our best course of action is to see where this takes us. You know I’ve never backed down from a challenge or a risk I thought was worth it, and,” the older blonde stole a quick kiss, “this is both. Also, we should do something so that I can get to you the next time you’re locked up who-knows-where, and I want to buy a couple of those sunbeds for the apartment and for here so you have other safe places to go when you need to heal.”

Kara nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. I don’t think it’ll be that hard to get the beds, actually. Hank suggested a while ago I get one for my apartment, so getting one for your place should be fine, and, also, I’m trying to get you proper clearances to be by my side the next time I’m in a bad fight.”

“Good. If Olsen can get in to see you and Clark, then I sure as hell should be able to.” Cat nuzzled against Kara’s neck, breathing in the younger woman’s scent. “If this was happening with anyone else, I’d be so annoyed right now.”

“I know,” Kara said with a happy sigh. “I’m glad it’s me.”

“Me, too, but, Kara, I need to go back to work, and you need to heal.” Cat pulled away again, taking a few steps backwards.

“Yeah, I’m just going to sit here in the sun while you work, if that’s okay?” The younger woman made a move to settle on the couch.

“I’d prefer it,” Cat answered with a pleased nod. “When lunchtime hits, I’ll order us something to eat.”

“Okay… Pot stickers?” Kara’s voice perked up, floating over the back of the couch where she’d settled down and reaching Cat’s ears just as she started to head inside.

“Fine,” Cat conceded with a chuckle.

Nothing was alright. Everything was off kilter, but at least Kara’s deep, unabiding love of pot stickers still remained.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, things should be happening soon. Something has to come to a head with Alex, and someone DID hire Lobo to off Kara, so that's still out there lingering, too. 
> 
> Fun times... fun times...


	6. Acceptance

“Kara?” Cat knelt beside the balcony’s sofa and gently ran a hand up and down one of the younger woman’s arms. “Sunshine, you need to wake up.”

The superhero groaned as she begrudgingly tumbled back into consciousness. A quick glance around told her that it was much later than lunch time. “What time is it?”

“It’s five. I was going to wake you up for lunch, but you felt so tired.” Cat stood, giving a little shrug. “I thought letting you sleep in the sun would be better than waking you up.” She tilted her head in thought while she watched the other woman sit and try to shake the sleep away. “You feel better.”

“Yeah, I do.” Kara leaned forward for a moment and blinked rapidly, trying to get the fuzziness she felt to go away. “You’re taking this bonding thing a lot better than I thought you might.”

“Well,” the petite woman took a seat in the space Kara vacated, “it’s convenient. At least now I don’t have to wonder if you’re being honest with me when I ask how you feel.”

Kara shot Cat an annoyed glare. “That goes both ways, you know?”

With a thoughtful hum, Cat turned to look out over the cityscape. “I realize that, but there’s nothing to be done about that now.” Her eyes scanned the horizon. “You know, I never thought I’d get married again. I assumed, since the third time was most definitely _not_ a charm, that maybe I should stick with fun little flings and a couple of conquests.”

“Married again?” The younger woman stared in horrified confusion at Cat. “What do you mean married again?”

“Kara.” Cat turned her gaze back to the woman beside her, voice soft with an edge of amusement to it. “We’re literally bonded for life. If that’s not a marriage, then I don’t know what is.”

“Oh,” the younger woman replied hollowly as her mind spun through what all of this would mean both in the short and in the long term. “We haven’t even talked about…”

“We would’ve gotten there,” Cat cut into Kara’s comment before it could turn into panic. “Eventually.” She leaned over to place a gentle kiss on the hero’s cheek. “Besides, you know I’m not interested nor do I need a large wedding or some outlandish proposal. Been there, done that. Literally have the rings to prove it.”

Kara took in a very deep breath and slowly released it, closing her eyes to focus her thoughts. She was an emotional train wreck of anxious, sort of happy, and very much scared. Somewhere within her, she could also feel Cat’s emotion, and, much to her surprise, they mirrored her own. Cat seemed so confident and assured about all of it, but, deep down, she was just as uncertain as Kara was, and that fact was an odd reassurance to the younger woman.

“I can feel when you do that,” Cat spoke into the quiet of the moment.

Opening her eyes, Kara gave her a questioning look. Cat motioned between them. “When you check to see how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking, I can feel that.”

“Oh, sorry. I don’t mean to pry,” Kara offered with a wince. “I was just…”

“Looking for comfort.” The older woman nodded. “I think we both are. This is…” Cat trailed off, looking around them for an answer she didn’t find. “Life never ceases to surprise me.”

“Cat,” Kara’s voice wavered, and she mentally kicked herself for the show of weakness only to immediately feel the other woman assure her through their connection and disapprove of the mental kick. Kara huffed out a mirthless chuckle. “This is weird.”

“It’s certainly up there,” Cat agreed with her own mirthlessly quiet laughter. “I hate to say this,” she began and felt Kara’s attentions sharpen, “but I think we may actually have to bring Agent Scully into our relationship after all.”

Kara’s instant concern almost overwhelmed Cat’s senses. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“I was in a meeting with a few editors this afternoon,” the older woman replied carefully, “and they were being as inept as ever.” She stood, walking to the balcony’s edge to stare at the people below. “I had a drink in my hand. The conversation had required a stiff drink because, otherwise, I was going to require a stiff firing.” She snorted. “Or three.”

Turning around, she leaned against the railing and crossed her arms. “One of them said something that was so,” she glared at the memory, “inconceivably incompetent, and I,” she pulled an arm free and made a squeezing motion with her hand, “I broke the glass, Kara.”

The younger woman was up in an instant. Careful not to hurt Cat, Kara took first one hand and then the other and inspected them. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” Cat let her see for herself. “I’m perfectly fine, which is why I’m concerned.” She waited until the hand inspection was complete before she continued. “First of all, I’ve never been strong enough to crack a glass just by squeezing it, and secondly, the glass didn’t cut me.” She shook her head worriedly. “It didn’t so much as leave a mark.”

“That’s… that’s not possible.” Kara literally knew what Cat was thinking, but it couldn’t be something real. A bond was one thing. Bonding was real. It happened on Krypton. But this? This would mean something more was happening, which was absurd. “Cat, are you sure the glass wasn’t already broken?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Cat rolled her eyes and sighed. “I know what I did, Kara.”

“Right, of course… of course you do. Sorry” The younger blonde’s face twitched from apologetic to concerned. “Okay,” she nodded mostly to herself. “ _Oooookay_ ,” she cleared her throat. “So maybe this is bigger than a simple bonding.”

Cat grunted. “As if bonding with someone like we’re apparently bonded is simple.”

Kara gave the woman in front of her a hard look. “You know what I mean, but, honestly, Cat, having sex with me should in no way change your DNA. That’s just… that’s _crazy_.”

“I would have to agree with you, but something is going on.” Pushing from the railing, Cat headed for her office. “We need to figure out what.” She opened the door and paused. “It’s time to go home. I want to be there when Carter gets there. Can you make it home on your own, or do you need to change and ride with me?”

“I should be able to make it back to my apartment,” Kara replied with a nod.

Cat rolled her eyes again. “I said ‘home,’ not ‘questionable excuse for something a Millennial thinks is adequate living space.”

For a long moment, Kara stared at her, mind blank and emotions flipping from confused to excited to hopeful and back again. Finally, Cat gave a wave of her hand to dismiss the clear lack of processing on the other woman’s part. “The _penthouse_ , Kara.”

“The pent… _house_?” Kara slow blinked a few times. “Is your home.”

“The last time I checked,” Cat countered in an annoyed tone, “Married people tended to live together when possible, and, since we do live in the same city, and there is no way I’m living in Millennial Central, nor am I uprooting Carter from what he knows as his home, the penthouse is our home.”

Kara gave a little laugh. Less than a week ago, they’d both decided that moving in together right now was way too soon. Now Cat had basically told her to bring the U-Haul. “Can we… can we maybe start with figuring out what’s happening with us and then, after that, talk about marriage and where we’re going to live? I mean, not that I don’t want all of that because I do, and I know you know I do, but I’m not like you, Cat. I can’t always just roll with it, and this is a lot of… of… well, it to roll with. Honestly, I thought you’d be angry or need time or space or something.”

“I’m all of those things,” Cat answered as she stepped back outside, allowing the door to close behind her. “But I’ve been around long enough and have experienced enough in my life to know when to accept Fate and when to throw her a giant middle finger. If this was happening with _anyone_ else or at _any time_ else in my life, I’d be telling Fate to fuck off, but it’s you, and it’s now.”

She closed the distance between them, reaching out to take Kara’s hands in her own. “You can feel my fear. I can’t hide that, so I won’t pretend it’s not there, but you can also sense how I feel about you. Take a good look, Sunshine, and tell me what you find.”

Kara looked down at the smaller woman as she focused on Cat and her feelings. She probed, finding the fear and the anxiousness, but, underneath all of that was certainty. She closed her eyes again and focused on the certainty. It was deep and strong, and it was a product of… “Oh, Cat, I… why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Cat sniffed dismissively. “And how, exactly, was I going to bring up in casual conversation that I loved my assistant deeply and wouldn’t object to being more than work wives without ending up in a meeting with HR?”

“Well, I mean, you could’ve maybe… hmmm.” Kara gave a nod. “Yeah, okay. I see your point, and I’m not really complaining about how you got us here, either… for the record.”

“Good.” The smaller woman pulled back and again retreated to the door. “So are you flying home or do you need a ride?”

“I can fly, but I need to make a pit stop at my apartment.” The younger blonde held a hand up to stop the objections before they started. “I’m going to pack a few things, and then I’ll catch a cab to the penthouse, okay?”

With a dismissive wave her hand, Cat walked back into her office, commenting flippantly, “Fine, if you must.”

Kara remained on the balcony for a while longer as she gathered her thoughts. Life was moving very quickly, and she was starting to have difficulty keeping pace. At least on the CatCo balcony there was an illusion of calm, and she desperately needed the illusion before having to talk to Alex about everything that’d happened over the course of the last few days because, after that talk, there would be no calm to be found.

* * *

 

Cat pulled off her shoes as soon as she entered the penthouse, sighing in relief as her feet finally stretched out from the day’s three inch heels. One quick glance and a push of her new sixth sense told her no one was home yet, which presented her with the chance to unwind before she had to be mom and partner.

As she made her way to the master bedroom, she tried to think about the latest CatCo emergency, but her mind only wanted to focus on one thing: Kara. Specifically, the bonding and what that meant for everyone, especially if it strengthened more, not to mention whatever else was happening with her physically.

She had no regrets being with the younger woman. Kara was an amazing person, and, now that they’d finally slept together, Cat could say with confidence that it wouldn’t be long before Kara was an amazing lover based on her first performance.

As with all things with the Kryptonian, the woman had potential.

On the other hand, Cat really needed to focus on work. CatCo was expanding into a few non-media related endeavors, and she needed to watch the acquisitions closely. One was a small but quickly growing bakery chain that hadn’t made a name for itself yet. Their branding was terrible, but the food was exquisite. They needed better branding management, and Cat wanted to start utilizing the trending hipster markets in CatCo’s favor, which meant she had to start appealing to the foodie generation.

Just the thought of a foodie made her want to gag. Only the Millennial generation could be so out of touch that they could turn food, necessary for living, into an art form that cost twice what it should and forced you to have to reconstruct it in order to eat it. If she orders pasta, she wants pasta, not four different containers, a plate, and a waiter explaining how to mix the ingredients together. They should already be mixed together. She is eating at restaurant exactly so she doesn’t have to put her own food together.

Grunting at the rant flashing through her mind, Cat pulled off her high dollar outfit and ran an eye over the clothes in her closet. She wasn’t in the mood for complicated or fashion conscious. She just wanted to be comfortable for a change. Her eyes fell on the section of closet that was slowly turning into Kara’s, and she smirked to herself as she grabbed a couple of items before turning to head to the en suite for a quick shower.

Tossing the clothes on the sink, she turned the water on and pulled her hair back while she waited for the spray to heat up. Her mind had moved on to the other acquisition. CatCo had recently invested in a technology firm, one that specialized in tech development and applications programming.

She wasn’t completely sold on the idea, but her team of investors had worked on her for months to buy the startup and utilize it to create better applications for CatCo for both internal and external use. The small company had been making huge leaps in computer science research, and it seemed that most of their team was producing results that, if it didn’t directly benefit CatCo on the media front, could actually benefit humanity as a whole, and, if CatCo ended up with the patents for those amazing leaps for humanity, Cat certainly wouldn’t complain about it.

Stepping into the shower, she sighed appreciatively. The heated water pounded away at her tired body, and, although she was still focused on CatCo, she was starting to feel better.

As she began to lather her loofah and scrub away the day, she considered her newest acquisition. She had visited the location a few times now, and it was full of what one would expect to be at a computer based startup. It was all hipster Millennials who looked like lumberjacks who’d gotten lost on their way to a hip, new logging venture. However, they were intelligent and driven. She could see it in their eyes, and that’s exactly the kind of thing she wanted in her employees. It meant there would be progress.

Unfortunately, not all of them had been driven in the right direction for either CatCo or patent worthy improvements for humanity. Her last trip a few months ago had resulted in her firing one of the computer scientists because he was clearly working on personal projects on CatCo’s time and dime. It’d all ended poorly, naturally, with the employee threatening her and demanding that she get out of his company, which it had been about eight months earlier.

How sad for him.

His termination left a void in the creative team at the startup, however, and her hiring firm was struggling to find a replacement. Consequentially, her investment wasn’t doing as well as she’d like, which was bothersome. She was a media mogul, not a tech giant. If she’d wanted to focus on hiring geeky computer nerds, she’d have started a company in Silicon Valley.

Her mind clicked over to the present, and she hummed approvingly when two arms wrapped around her from behind and a warm, muscular body pressed against her back. “Hello, Sunshine.”

“Hello, Cat,” Kara’s breath tickled the top of her ear. “Let me help you with that,” the young woman suggested in a husky voice as she slowly ran her hand down Cat’s arm to pull the loofah away.

Cat turned around, smirk firmly in place and pushed up on her toes to give the other woman a kiss. “I’m done, actually, but I’m not complaining that you decided to join me.”

Kara flashed a sheepish smile. “I… um, I couldn’t stop myself once I saw you in here. I guess that must’ve been how you felt when you walked in on me in the shower.”

“No,” the petite woman gave a definitive shake of her head in the negative. “It was certainly worse because _I_ , unlike _you_ now, couldn’t act on the impulse to step in.”

With a chuckle, Kara leaned down for another kiss. “Fair enough. I’m glad we’ve gotten that worked out, but I’m not wearing the ring right now, and,” she tilted her head just a touch as if listening for something for a brief second, “Carter just got home.”

Cat sighed. “We’re coming back to this tonight after he goes to bed,” she declared as she stepped out of the hot shower and hotter woman still standing in its spray. “Don’t take too long in there. I’ll have dinner ready soon.”

Kara nodded and turned into the cascading water while Cat began drying off and getting dressed. She stopped in front of the mirror to check herself. Her hair was up with just a few loose strands, which had a good enough effect that she decided to leave it. Running her hand down the shirt she was wearing, she smiled thinking about how Kara was going to react when she realized Cat was wearing her favorite “Superman” man t-shirt and a pair of her shorts.

Lane was bitch, but she was smart. Cat would give her that. She’d trademarked and created a whole merchandise line based on Clark and Kara’s house symbol. It was both ethically questionable and a brilliant money making endeavor. Cat was actually a little pissed she hadn’t had the chance to do it first with her superhero.

Rolling her eyes at bad timing, Cat headed downstairs to greet her son and get dinner started. Thinking about work was fine. Thinking about Lois Lane was not. She had better things to do.

 


	7. Leveling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite Cat's desire not to, Alex is brought up to speed. Also, some Supercat family fluff.

Whatever Cat was cooking smelled amazing. Kara didn’t want to ruin the surprise by prying through their connection, so she tried to satisfy her curiosity by rushing through drying off and getting dressed before hustling downstairs toward the kitchen.

She could hear Carter excitedly talking to his mom about something he’d learned in school that day, and the pride she felt pulsing through her connection with Cat made her feel warm and tingly. She was proud of the boy in her own right, but Cat’s pride in Carter was something Kara couldn’t find words to describe. It just felt boundless and pleasant.

As she swung into the kitchen, Carter’s head turned toward her, and his face lit up. “Kara, you’re here!” He bounced from his seat at the island and into her arm. “Are you staying for dinner?”

She looked down at his mop of unruly brown hair and grinned, returning his hug with equal amounts of enthusiasm. “Yeah, bud, I am. I hope that’s okay?”

“Are you kidding me?” He pulled back and looked up at her with a wide smile. “That’s great! Maybe we can watch an episode of Star Trek before I have to go to bed tonight?”

“Oh, hmmm, I don’t know.” She scrunched her face up in an over exaggerated expression of deep thought. “I think we’ll have to ask your mom about that one.” She looked up to find Cat and ask the question when her eyes finally fell on both the woman in question and what said woman was wearing.

Suddenly, time hiccupped, and all Kara could see was Cat wearing the House of El’s crest. She swallowed down the hefty emotions the sight caused inside her chest and cleared her throat, the frivolity of the moment completely gone from her composure and replaced with a heavy, meaningful feeling that was all at once profound and bittersweet.

“You’re wearing our crest.” Kara’s voice was a hoarse whisper.

“I…” Through their connection, Cat felt the enormity of meaning behind her choosing to wear Kara’s family crest. She hadn’t intended for it to be so hugely symbolic, but she didn’t regret it. She meant it when she’d claimed Kara as her wife earlier in the day. If this cemented the idea clearly to the younger woman, Cat was all the more pleased she’d made the choice to wear the shirt. “I thought you might like me in something other than my usual haute couture.”

Kara slowly pulled away from Carter and made her way to Cat, her eyes never leaving the older woman’s. “I like it very much,” she replied with a hitch at the end. Reaching out, she stopped just short of placing her hand on Cat’s chest, which was covered by the crest, much like it covered her own whenever she wore her suit.

With a gentle smile playing on her lips, Cat reached out and placed her hand on top of Kara’s, pulling it forward until both of their of their hands rested above her heart and on top of the crest. “I’m glad you like it.”

The younger woman’s voice waivered. “Cat…”

“Um, guys?” Carter’s voice broke the emotional hold over the two woman, causing them to reluctantly pull apart. “What am I missing here? I mean, it’s a shirt…?”

“It’s just,” Kara began, trying to pull her emotions back in check, “your mom. She’s… um… she’s wearing a shirt that means a lot to me.”

He tilted his head as he processed the information. “Why does a Superman shirt mean _that_ much to you?”

She could feel Cat’s panic start to boil up, but she soothed it was a quick, reassuring smile as she headed back to the other side of the island to take her seat next to Carter. “Well, do you know what Supergirl and Superman’s symbol means?” He shook his head in the negative. “It’s not an ‘S’, Carter. It’s a symbol from their home.”

“You mean it’s Kryptonian?” His attention was fully on her now. Anything about the Supers always caught his full attention.

Kara nodded, giving him a watery smile. “Yeah, that’s right. It’s a Kryptonian symbol for their house.” She leaned over conspiratorially, adding with a smirk, “They’re cousins, you know?”

“Yeah,” he rolled his eyes at her, “ _Everyone_ knows that, Kara.”

She chuckled, sitting up again and shrugging as if to say ‘oh well.’ “Fair enough.” She sighed, glancing to Cat, who was watching her with keen interest to see where she was going with this story. “Anyway, the Kryptonian symbol means ‘Hope.”

“Hope?” Carter pursed his lips in thought. “That’s neat. How do you know that?”

“You’re too young to remember this, or even know it, but, when Ka… um, Superman first started his superhero thing, he talked about it. I remember reading about it from early interviews between him and Lois Lane when I was a young teenager.”

She grimaced as the memories of that time in her life swept through her mind’s eye. “The crest represents an idea.” she took in a deep breath and cleared her mind, intent on being as honest with him as she could while still keeping the secret of her identity intact. “When I lost my family and the Danvers took me in, everything felt _hopeless_. I had nothing, no one. The only thing I had of my home or my family were literally the clothes on my back and the memories of them I carried with me. I was in a strange, new place surrounded by alien, unfamiliar things and people. It was like I had to relearn how to be and do everything.” She shook her head as her mind raced through the memories of her first few months on Earth. They were beyond trying for everyone involved.

“I could have been hopeless. I could’ve given up. I could’ve let my misfortune turn me into some kind of warped, bitter, angry being, but,” she pointed at Cat, her finger leveled at the crest, “seeing Superman,” her mind flashed to a quick conversation she’d had with Kal once about a year after she’d settled in with the Danvers, “reminded me of two very important things.” She held up two fingers to tick off the thoughts. “One, we are stronger together.” She looked over to give Cat a knowing look and a loving smile. “And, two,” she sighed, releasing the tension and rising emotions to settle on the peaceful contentment that always came to her whenever she thought of what it meant to be from the House of El, “there is always hope. In the darkest of times, when your world is literally crumbling around you, hope is there, and, through the strength of family, however it’s formed, and the truth that hope brings, anything is possible.”

She shrugged again, trying to dismiss the meaning behind her story as something less significant than it truly was. “I bought that shirt when I was in college to help me remember that, and seeing your mom wear it makes our little family feel, well, stronger.”

Carter sat quietly for a long moment, mulling it over before carefully sliding off of his stool and leaning over to give Kara a hug. “You can always be a part of our family, right, Mom?”

“Yes, Carter,” Cat replied with a small crack in her voice. Clearing her throat, she turned to check the oven, and was grateful to see the chicken was done. “Now, why aren’t you two setting the table? I cooked. Don’t expect me to set the table _or_ clean up.”

“Sorry, Mom!” Her son dutifully grabbed plates and silverware, rushing off to set the table and leaving the two women alone in the kitchen.

Cat set the chicken pan on a trivet to cool before turning to find the younger woman’s eyes following her every moment. “Kara, if I’d realized…”

“Don’t apologize. Please don’t apologize,” Kara cut in, standing to walk around the island again. “One of my deepest fantasies was that you’d someday willing join my house. I… well, I guess it wasn’t really willing, though, was it?”

“The bonding was unexpected,” Cat replied as she gently reached out to circle her arms around the other woman’s waist, “but don’t ever think I didn’t want to be with you. I _do_ , and I _chose_ to wear this shirt tonight.” She leaned up and kissed the taller woman, pushing her emotions toward their connection to prove the truth behind her words. “I’d be honored to be a part of your house.”

“God, Cat, you can’t know how much that means to me,” the younger woman whispered, tears starting to slide down one cheek.

“Oh,” Cat chuckled, “I bet I have an idea.”

Kara’s eyes widened for a split second before a blush rushed up her neck and burst across her face. “Oh, yeah, I guess you do.”

“Okay, seriously, I know you two are dating, and I’m happy for you,” Carter cut into their moment, “But I’m _starving_. Can we eat now, and then you two can be all mushy with each other while I’m somewhere else in the house doing my homework?”

“When _you_ pay the rent, you can start dictating when and where I can be mushy with my wi-girlfriend. Until then,” Cat replied in a light tone, only wincing a little at the almost slip, “you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

“And this is yet another reason exactly why I’m going to create the most amazing thing to help humanity ever by the time I’m twenty,” Carter snarked back. “I’ll be rich enough from the royalties by the time I’m 25 to pay the rent,” he stated with certainty, turning and heading back to the dining table and leaving the two women to follow him.

They chuckled, the deeply emotional moment finally brushed away. “He’s definitely your son, Cat.”

The petite woman nodded proudly. “I know, and I’m not sure if I should be proud or terrified some days.”

Kara shrugged. “Why not both?”

Cat hummed I agreement. “Both is good.”

* * *

 

“Agent Scully,” Cat’s tone was sharp with agitation, “we’re not telling you all of this so that you can critique our relationship.” She shifted on her living room’s sofa, glancing quickly to her right to see Kara nervously fidgeting with her shirttail. “We’re telling you this because it could foreseeably become an issue.”

“Foreseeably?” Alex raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “It’s already an issue. As soon as you two realized something was off, you should have come to me. Who knows what kind of danger the two of you have put yourselves in?”

“It’s only been a few days, Alex,” Kara cut in, but her voice betrayed her chastised feelings. She could sense Cat’s irritation with her natural inclination to bow to Alex’s strong direction, but some habits are hard to break.

“A few days?” The older Danvers shook her head in disbelief. “Kara, I thought you said you and Cat weren’t going to try to be intimate right now. You told me to stop looking for kryptonite. Where did you even _find_ kryptonite?”

Kara gave her sister a sheepish look. “Would you believe Batman gave it to Wonder Woman who passed it along to me?”

For a very long moment, Alex simply stared at her sister, her jaw clenching and unclenching as her expression ran from astonished to annoyed. “Do I want to know how much Batman and Wonder Woman know about your personal life?”

“ _I_ don’t even want to know how much Batman and Wonder Woman know about my personal life,” Kara counter and was pleased to feel a shot of amusement from the woman beside her. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. What matters right now is that _something_ is going on with Cat, and whatever it is happened after she and I… well, after we…”

“Had sex.” Cat rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Kara, if you are having sex, you should at the very least be able to enunciate the word without chocking on it.” She sighed heavily, leaning forward to pick up her whiskey glass to take a sip. “Alex, I assume there are some kind of tests that need to be done?”

“Just as soon as I can figure out _what_ kind, then yeah. But, there’s still a lot I don’t understand here.” She leaned back in the chair she occupied opposite the couple. “This bonding is something I’m going to need more information on. You two can actually read each other’s mind?”

“Sort of?” Kara half turned so she could see both women. “It’s more like we can sense the strong emotions in the other person, and, if we’re focused on it, we can sense what the other person is feeling. We can’t always tell exactly what the other person is thinking, and sometimes the other person’s thoughts or little personality traits seep into our own, like the other day when I went off on that reporter at the Wayne charity event.”

“You were feeding off of Cat’s personality?” Alex ran a hand across her chin as she considered the information. “And do you,” she turned her attentions to Cat, “find you sometimes act like Kara?”

“Despite myself, yes. For example, I had an absolutely incompetent editor come into my office yesterday, and I didn’t fire him.” The older woman dramatically huffed. “In fact, I talked to him about his _feelings_ and helped him find a way to fix his working issues while dealing with his personal issues.” She rolled her eyes at herself. “Cat Grant is not a feelings person.”

“Okay,” Alex drew the word out as she thought it over. “Outside of this weird Kryptonian mating situation…”

“ _Bonding_ ,” Kara cut in acridly. “Don’t make it sound like I’m part of some kind of weird Animal Planet documentary.”

Her sister winced. “Sorry. Uh… so, other than the bonding, is there anything else you can think of that you’ve done recently that’s out of the ordinary?”

“No, not really. My life, by my standards, has been pretty normal,” Kara replied with a shrug.

“Aside from visiting a few side businesses CatCo has recently bought out, no. There’s nothing different I can think of.”

“Side businesses?” Alex narrowed her eyes, her attention caught. “What _kind_ of side businesses?”

The older blonde waved a dismissive hand. “Nothing extraordinary. CatCo has bought out a small bakery chain because we’re looking to angle for more foodies, and we purchased a technology start-up company to help with outward facing and inward facing CatCo applications.”

“You know, I think I read something about that.” Alex pulled out her phone and swiped through a few screens of information. “Yeah, here it is. CatCo bought out Future Labs, and you fired the start-up’s founder recently.”

“Thomas Morrow.” Cat set her empty glass down with an overelaborate sigh. “He was using company time and resources for personal projects. We gave him plenty of warnings, but he wouldn’t quit, so I fired him. CatCo cannot afford to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars into some IT geek’s personal pet projects. He knew when he sold out to CatCo that things would be different. It’s not my fault he failed to understand the agreement he signed.”

Alex shook her head wearily. “What was he working on that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars?”

“Some kind of super computer,” Cat answered disinterestedly. “He wouldn’t explain the function of the thing, and he wouldn’t work on projects _for_ the company. Frankly, I don’t care _what_ it was. What I _do_ care about is…”

“Him not spending hundreds of thousands of CatCo’s dollars. Right, I got that,” Alex cut in with a roll of her eyes. “I’ve read about him. He’s a computer science genius.”

Cat snorted. “Genius or no, he’s not worth a cent if he’s not working on relevant projects. He’s just dead weight.”

“Still,” the older Danvers sister replied thoughtfully with a shake of her head, “I wish I could’ve seen what he was working on. I’m sure it was impressive.”

“Well, wish no more, Agent Scully,” Cat replied with a smirk. “He was using CatCo’s dime, which means anything he made is CatCo’s property. We still have his little project. It’s locked up at the Future Labs office. If you want to see it that badly, I’m sure my assistant can arrange for you to have a look.”

“That would great,” the older sister shot back with a little too much excitement before clearing her throat and trying to bring herself back to why she was there. “In the meantime, Cat, I’d like to draw some blood samples to take back to the lab for testing.”

“The lab I still can’t access,” Cat asked while rolling her sleeve up. “You know, when Kara gets hurt again, I honestly _have_ to be by her side.” She winced as Alex prepped her arm and pulled the tourniquet tight.

“Honestly, Cat, I’m trying to get you clearance. Actually,” she continued with a hint of amusement in her voice as she began drawing blood into vials, “the fact you’re permanently mated to Kara _may_ speed everything up since there’s no way you’re _not_ going to be in the picture moving forward.”

“Good. Make it move faster,” the older woman demanded with a grunt as Alex finished drawing blood. “How long will it take for the first batch of test results to come back?”

“A few days at least.” Alex carefully packed the blood away supplies away. “I’ll contact you as soon as I know something.”

“And I’ll set up a time for you to go see Future Labs,” Kara chimed in, happy to be useful. “Maybe you can go in a couple of days while we’re still waiting on results?”

Alex nodded. “Actually, that’d be great.” She turned and glanced toward the front door. “I should get going.”

Kara bounded up to walk her sister out. At the front door, they stopped for a final goodbye. “You know I just wanted a little privacy, right Alex?”

“Deep down I understand that, but I wish you’d have trusted me a little more than this,” Alex replied with a frown. “I’m worried about _both_ of you now. What if it’s not the bonding but the Kryptonite you’re using that is bad and that’s what’s causing this?”

“Yeah, I figured you’d ask that eventually.” Reluctantly, Kara pulled a small metal box out of her pocket. “Here’s the ring.” She opened it, hissing a little as the effects immediately kicked in.

Alex dropped her bags to the floor and dug around for a small kit. Pulling it out, she opened it to retrieve a small scalpel and storage tube and then used the tool to scrap a few flakes of the stone into the tube. “Keep the ring. If there’s nothing wrong with the Kryptonite, then this little bit shouldn’t do anything to the overall effects, and,” she awkwardly slung the bag back over her shoulder, finally blushing just a little, “I don’t want to take your wedding ring away if I don’t have to.”

Kara frowned at the slightly marred stone before carefully closing the box and returning it to her pocket. “I guess it is in a way, isn’t it?”

The older sister nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Thanks, Alex, for dealing with this so well. I mean, I realize this is probably pretty weird, and I know how you feel about Cat.”

“I have nothing against Cat, Kara. I _don’t_. It’s just that I have a _duty_ to protect the secrets of my country. I took an oath to do that, and you’re my sister. I’m always going to be overprotective of you. I can’t help it. It’s what older sisters do.” She reached for the door, slowly opening it. “Don’t mistake my worry for hating anyone. I don’t hate Cat, okay?” She stepped outside the penthouse’s door and turned toward the elevator. “Call me tomorrow, okay?”

Kara gave a little, emotional nod. “Yeah, okay.”


	8. Traveling

“That went well.” Cat was already cleaning up by the time Kara stepped back into the living room. “Based on your emotional state when we called her over tonight, I was expecting at least a little fireworks show.”

“If I didn’t actually, physically know better,” the younger blonde countered with a touch of exasperation in her timbre, “I’d say you were joking about being disappointed. What is it about the two of you that keeps you from getting along?”

“I have nothing against Agent Scully, nor, I suspect, does she have anything against me outside of the fact that I’m the top media mogul worldwide and could, at the drop of a hat, blow open a half dozen secrets she and her clandestine little government organization have been trying to keep hidden from the public for God only knows how long.” Cat straightened from where she was bent over the coffee table straightening out the magazines and tilted her head to the side as she wistfully gazed out of the window and into the night sky. “That woman really doesn’t appreciate how many potential sales and stock price increases I’ve missed out on by _not_ reporting on all of this.”

Kara snorted. “Ah, okay, so you two have a power play going on. Right.” She rolled her eyes and walked by the other woman, grabbing the empty glasses out of her hand as she went by. “I’ll be glad when you two decide you’re done pissing in corners.”

“I have people to do that for me, thank you,” Cat countered with a smirk as she went to shut down the house while Kara finished up in the kitchen. It took little time for them to find their way to the master bedroom and less time still to get ready for and then slip into bed.

Once settled with Cat happily wrapped around Kara’s side as Kara lay on her back in the big, fluffy, overly priced mattress, the smaller woman finally began to fully settle down, allowing her mind to relax along with her body. The day had been exceptionally long and far more stressful than even she had become accustom. Events in her life were starting to have a snowball effect, and there was nothing Cat hated more than feeling out of control in a situation.

Sighing she snuggled further into Kara’s warmth to press her ear against the young woman’s chest. The heartbeat she found there was strong and steady but so much slower than any she’d heard in her past. She listened to it and pitched her breathing to match the slow, methodic inhale and exhale of the woman she so peacefully rested upon. Beat after reassuring beat, deep inhale and exhale after deep inhale and exhale she allowed herself to be lulled into the steady rhythm.

“Cat?” Kara’s voice cut into the serene darkness. She was barely above a whisper, and her voice only marginally registered with older woman. When Cat gave a quiet hum in question, Kara continued on in the same scarcely audible murmur. “Do you feel okay?”

Cat nodded slightly, moving a hand up to rest on Kara’s chest and curling her fingers into the younger woman’s shirt. “Yes, why?”

“Because your heartbeat is really slow, and your breathing matches mine.” The alarm Kara was feeling began to seep through their connection. “Are you sure you feel okay?” Her heartbeat began to pick up, and she could hear Cat’s match tempo.

“I won’t be if you mess up our little moment of Zen by making us have an adrenaline rush at 11:30 at night,” Cat replied with a growl, her fingers flexing open and closed against Kara’s chest. “I’m sure it’s a side effect of our connection. I feel fine.”

Kara took in a deeper breath and released it slowly to try to calm herself down. “Humans’ hearts only beat that slowly when they’re close to death.” She glanced down to the top of the other woman’s head as she wrapped her arms protectively around the small body still laid across her chest. “I know. I’ve heard that sound more than once now.”

Cat pushed up enough to turn to look the younger woman in the eyes. In the darkness of their room, she could see the unshed tears she knew would be there before she even turned. Reaching up, she ran her hand lightly down Kara’s face and along her jawline, stopping at her neck to use Kara’s shirt for leverage to pull herself up enough to kiss the younger woman. “I’m fine. Honestly, I’ve never felt better, and I promise you I’m nowhere near close to death. I’m pretty sure you’d be the first to know if I was. I’m okay, Sunshine.” She gave a small, reassuring smile. “Now, what do I need to do in order to reassure you that I’m not broken or hurt so we can get to sleep, hmmm?”

Kara sniffed a few times as she pulled her arms back. She ran one hand down to rest on Cat’s waist as she moved the fingers of her other hand gently over the other woman’s face. “I still have dreams about the explosion,” she whispered as her fingers traced the outline of Cat’s features, her brow, “I wish I’d been fully asleep for it, but I wasn’t so lucky,” her cheek, “In an instant, everything and everyone I had ever known, loved,” her jawline, “hated, or might ever have had the chance to know in such a way,” lips, “was gone.” She pulled her hand back to rest her palm against the side of Cat’s upturned face. “I’ve always been grateful to the Danvers for accepting me as part of their family, and Earth is truly a good planet, but,” she slowly gave a small negative shake of her head, “it has never felt like my permanent home. It’s all always felt like a replacement that I could call home, and then you happened.”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. “And now it feels like home, and I’m terrified of that going away again so soon.”

“Kara, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon,” Cat gently replied as she pushed up and resettled herself directly atop the other woman, sighing happily as strong arms wrapped around her again. “And I’m more than happy to show you exactly how healthy and okay I am.” She bent down to steal the breath away from the younger woman.

Kara groaned into the kiss, arms falling to land her hands at the petite woman’s waist. “Are you sure?”

“Oh yes, I’m definitely sure,” Cat replied with a purr, leaning in to kiss a wet line from Kara’s mouth to her neck, stopping to nibble for a moment. “Where is our ring?”

“But, what if it’s the ring doing,” Kara gulped down air as Cat’s teeth ran along the column of her throat. “God… fuck,” she whimpered. “What if it’s causing this issue with you?”

“Then the damage has already been done, and, frankly, Kara, the sacrifice is worth it if I get to taste you tonight,” Cat replied between opened mouthed kisses.

In a quick movement, Kara flipped them, pinning Cat to the bed and looking down on her with an intensely possessive expression that blew away any resistance Cat might have offered. “Just this once, I think I’m going to have to deny you what you want,” she answered as she floated just enough to allow her hands freedom so she could slowly begin to lift Cat’s nightgown up over her hips. “Tonight, I need to touch _you_.”

Through their connection, Cat could feel exactly what Kara meant. She could feel Kara’s need to check every curve and line of her body to make certain nothing was out of place, to taste and feel every bit of Cat to know, without doubt or hesitation, that Cat was okay.

It wasn’t something Cat would normally do, give up control, but her mind and body fell into Kara’s need, and she allowed herself to be wrapped up in everything that was the younger woman. “Yes…”

* * *

 

“Catco, Kara Danvers speaking.” Kara rolled her eyes as the now too familiar voice of Trump’s assistant rang through the line.

“Ms. Danvers,” he began, and she nearly gagged at the nauseating sound. “Mr. Trump would like to know when Ms. Grant will be available for their lunch.”

She rolled her eyes and tried her best not to simply hang the phone up. Winn popped his head up from his desk to give her a questioning look. She pointed to the phone and mouthed ‘Trump,’ to which he nodded sympathetically. “I’m afraid Ms. Grant is not available for the foreseeable future. However, she’s instructed me to contact you once an opening has become available in her schedule.”

“And when might that be?” The voice sounded perturbed. Kara thought the feeling mutual.

She glanced back to Winn who had an odd expression on his face. His eyes were growing larger by the moment, and then, suddenly, his head whipped back toward his monitors as the bullpen’s noise died in a single breath. Kara held the phone up, not bothering to turn to look.

“Donald,” Cat snapped into the receiver as she grabbed the phone from her assistant’s outstretched hand, “you and I both know it’s never going to happen. I’m happily involved, and you’re disgusting. Also, you’re married. I don’t do married. Quit harassing my assistant. If you want to drop some news through my network, have your actual assistant send my assistant an email with the details, and I’ll have one of my reporters follow through with the story.”

Kara could feel the eyes of her fellow employees on her. She uncomfortably shifted, going back to her computer and trying to at least look busy. A moment later, Cat was done tearing Trump up and had dropped the phone back on cradle with a flourish of her hand. “Now that’s over with,” she commented dryly, pulling her cell up to glance over the display and acting as if the entire office wasn’t intently watching them while poorly pretending not to be, “where is my next appointment? They’re fifteen minutes late, and you know how much I hate tardiness, Kiera.”

Kara winced. “Um, actually, Ms. Grant,” she answered carefully, grinding her teeth against the biting comment she wanted to make at whomever had snickered under their breath at her continuing to call Cat ‘Ms. Grant’ while they were in the office, “that appoint was canceled. We went over that this morning.”

“Did we?” Cat seemed to shrug it off disinterestedly. “Well, all’s the same I suppose. It gave me time to look over our acquisitions again before I’m off to my hair appointment.” She glanced away from her phone long enough to give her seated assistant a hard look. “That appointment is still happening, I assume?”

Clearing her throat, Kara looked up with an oddly apologetic expression. “Yes, Ms. Grant.”

“Good.” Cat pulled her phone down and dropped it into her purse. “I shouldn’t be gone more than three hours. I expect those edits I sent you to be done by the time I get back, and, if you haven’t already, go ahead and schedule that tour with me, you, and Agent Scully for Future Tech for tomorrow.” She pulled her sunglasses out of her purse and pushed them casually onto her face. “After going back over their records again, I think I’d like to see Scully’s opinion on what we’ve managed to secure from that little endeavor so far.”

“Yes, Ms. Grant.” Kara made a quick note to schedule the meeting. “Your car is already waiting for you downstairs, and I have lunch scheduled for you at the bistro down the street from your hairstylist’s shop.”

“Fine.” Cat turned to walk toward her personal elevator, pushing the button and sighing indifferently as the doors immediately opened. “Everyone can get back to work now and stop trying to figure out ways my assistant and I role play when no one is around,” she called over her shoulder, turning to smirk at Kara’s mortified expression as the doors closed shut.

“Oh my god,” Kara practically shrieked as she slide down lower in her chair, the eyes of the office looking at her with a mix of interest, disgust, and question.

Winn gave her a sympathetic look. “If it’s any consolation, Kara, _I_ wasn’t wondering that.”

“Yes, that’s just…” she rolled her eyes, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose as she resettled in her chair, “so reassuring, Winn. Thanks.”

He smiled, happy to help before quickly realizing she was scowling at him. He turned back to his monitors, clearing his throat a few times and trying to keep his eyes from looking around the office too much.

Kara could feel Cat’s amusement, and she couldn’t decide if that level of hubris was sexy or annoying. Possibly, it was both, but she wasn’t in the mindset to bother. With a frustrated huff and a little growl, she picked up the phone and called the non-classified number for the DEO. A happy voice greeted her with, “Federal Bureau of Investigations, how may I direct your call?”

“Hello, Pat, this is Kara. Is Alex available?”

“Kara! Oh, yes, she is, hon. Just give me a minute to get her on the line…”

* * *

 

“You didn’t tell me this place was in Texas,” Alex muttered as the settled into the luxury seats of Cat’s personal jet.

“I thought you knew?” Kara shrugged. “You know Cat’s terrible at remembering everywhere she’s been in a week and anything tech related to her is in Silicon Valley.”

“I’m sitting right here,” the older woman apathetically commented before taking a sip of her water. “And, to be fair, it’s not as though, when anyone thinks of progressive technology, they think of Texas.”

Alex reluctantly nodded in agreement. “Though, to be fair, Dallas seems to have a pretty respectable tech boom happening. It’s just that,” she scrunched her face up disgustedly, “it’s Texas.”

“It’ll be fine,” Kara exasperatedly replied. “It’s a day trip. We’ll be there and back home before you know it, and I’ve been to Texas before. It’s a lovely state.”

Cat snorted. “Sunshine, you think the Artic is a lovely continent and the Sahara is a nice place for sunbathing.” Alex chuckled.

“Well, they _are_ ,” the younger blonde replied defensively, crossing her arms and pouting just slightly.

Three hours and several jokes at Kara’s expense later, the three found themselves stuck in the reception area of Future Labs, which was little more than a desk and two guest chairs with a television that was at least fifteen years old affixed to one wall.

“Cat, are you sure you bought the right Future Labs?” Alex glanced around and then leaned back to look outside at the nondescript front of a long warehouse like structure in which the reception area was nestled.

“Yes, Agent Scully, I’m certain. I don’t accidentally buy the wrong multimillion dollar businesses,” the older woman cut in with a wave of her hand. “Kiera, why are we just standing here? I own the place. We should already be inside.”

Alex grumbled under her breath, but Kara cut her off with a look and pulled out her phone to start making calls in an effort to find the receptionist. Just before she began, a frazzled, middle aged woman came skidding in from the back with something clutched in one hand and a cordless phone in the other.

Out of breath, she wheezed and coughed for a about half a minute before she calmed enough to push her only semi-decently kept hair out of the way and readjust her oddly bent wire rimmed glasses enough to allow her to properly see the three woman who were now staring at her expectantly.

“I’m real sorry, ya’ll,” the woman began between shuddering breaths as she continued to try to calm herself down. “We knew you’d be here today, and I tried to make sure someone was up here, but Mitch, that’s our receptionist, just got his adoption approved the other day, and Ari, that’s his husband, is having a heck of time getting everything in order before their baby gets here, so we let him go on home without thinkin’ about the fact that y’all’d be here today, and I guess I might could’ve…”

“I’m sorry, but is there a point to this story?” Cat rolled her eyes impatiently and crossed her arms as she looked down her nose at the woman behind the counter. “And who are you, exactly?”

“Oh.” The woman slowly blinked, trying to catch up.

“Ms. Grant,” Kara offered quietly, “I believe this is Janet Bilowski. She’s the lead electrical engineer for Future Tech.”

Cat raised an eyebrow. “I see, and why is someone I’m paying almost six figures to working the front desk instead of working in the back doing something productive that contributes to their paycheck?”

Through their shared connection, Kara intentionally shot Cat with mental kick of ‘why are you being an ass’ to which she received the immediate feedback of ‘because I’m Cat Grant.’ She sighed quietly. “Because Mitchell Jackson is on paternity leave early, I believe, but I’m sure Ms. Bilowski has already contacted a temporary agency to have a replacement come in. Haven’t you, Ms. Bilowski?” Kara gave her a look from where she stood behind Cat that said to lie if she hadn’t already done this thing.

To her credit, the frazzled women only looked hopelessly lost for about twenty seconds. “Do what?” She frowned deeply and glanced from Cat to Kara and then to Alex, who only shrugged before nodding back toward Kara’s intent look. “Oh,” Janet said slowly, “Yeah.” She drew the word out for a moment before the light clicked on. “Uh, we were fixin’ to do that but then ya’ll popped in, so we figured we’d help you out and get you started before we gave the temp agency a call.” She glanced at Kara for quick confirmation that what she’d said was the right thing to say.

Kara smiled brightly and nodded.

“I suppose that’s acceptable,” Cat remarked, annoyance settling deeply into her voice and her body language. “See to it you call a reputable temp agency like Robert Half or Randstad. If this _Mitch_ is going to be out for that long, I want a somewhat plausibly capable temp handling the front desk.” She glanced over her shoulder to the younger blonde. “Kiera, see to it that Mitch and his husband receive the standard CatCo paternity basket.”

Kara startled for a second. No such thing existed, but a quick check on her connection let her know that Cat had surprised herself and was now on a mental rampage about picking up her wife’s personality traits. She lowered her head to try to hide her smile and whipped out her tablet to take notes. “Yes, Ms. Grant,” she cheerfully replied, glancing up in time to see Cat’s eyes narrow at her for a second.

“Well?” Cat turned back to Janet. “Are those our badges, or did you just bring up some fun little take-home trinkets for us?”

“Oh, no, ma’am. I mean… uh, yes, ma’am, they _are_ your badges.” Janet quickly fumbled to hand them over.

“Don’t call me ma’am,” the media mogul growled as she grabbed the offered badges and handed one to Alex and then Kara before affixing hers to her jacket’s collar. “I’m not that old.”

“Do what?” Janet stared at her for a long heartbeat before it clicked, and then she laughed. “I’m sorry, Ms. Grant, but I’m afraid you might have a lot of problems if that’s how you think of the use of the word ma’am.”

Cat crossed her arms again and tilted her head in defiance. “And why is that?”

“Well, because,” Janet motioned all around her and shrugged. “You’re in Texas. Down here, sayin’ ma’am and sir is just a fact of life. It’s got nothing to do with age. It’s a sign of respect. Now, I can try to remember to not call you that, if you really want me to, but, honestly, ma’… um, Ms. Grant, it’s gonna be pretty much impossible to get everybody you’re gonna have to deal with down here to stop doing that. I mean, I know of some people down here who’d just as soon kill over than to not call a woman ma’am or gentlemen sir.”

With a heavy huff and flippant wave of her hand, Cat visibly gave up the fight. “Fine.” She rolled her eyes and turned toward the door that accessed the rest of the facility. “Then you may call me ma’am if it’s that big of deal.” She waved toward the access point. “Go on, then. Lead the way to the back. Chop! Chop! We don’t have all day.”

Janet nodded and hurried toward the door to escort them, as Cat turned back toward the other two woman. “Remind me again, Kiera, how great Texas is.”

Kara smirked and glanced at her sister, who cocked her head curiously to the side as she caught the glimmer of mischief in the blonde’s eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”

Cat glared, turned on her heels and took off, leaving the sisters chuckling and quickly following in her wake.


End file.
